2016 Winter Cup ‘Countdown to Rio’ for Men’s Gymnastics

All six members of the 2015 U.S. Men’s World Championships Team are expected to compete at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, Feb. 18-20 at the Cashman Convention Center. Performances at the 2016 Winter Cup will determine eight members of the 2016 U.S. Men’s National Team through the 2016 P&G Gymnastics Championships, June 3-5, in Hartford, Conn.

The members of World Championships Team, who retained their spots on the senior national team, are: Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center); Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton (Universal Gymnastics); Alexander Naddour of Queen Creek, Ariz./Team Hilton (USA Youth Fitness Center); Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center); Donnell Whittenburg of Baltimore, Md./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton (Ohio State University). Marvin Kimble of Milwaukee, Wis./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center), was the alternate.

2012 Olympians Jake Dalton of Sparks, Nev./Team Hilton (University of Oklahoma), Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center), and John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton (U.S. Olympic Training Center), are expected to compete along with Olympic teammate Dalton and Leyva. The three 2012 Olympic alternates are also in the field: Brooks, Legendre and Naddour.

Other senior national team members registered for the 2016 Winter Cup Challenge are Eddie Penev of Rochester, N.Y./Team Hilton, and CJ Maestas of Corrales, N.M./U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Performances at the 2016 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 15 men who will comprise the U.S. Men's Senior National Team through the 2016 P&G Gymnastics Championships in Hartford, Conn. June 3-5. The six members of the 2015 World Championships squad, plus the alternate, retain their spots on the national team. The remaining eight spots will be determined based on the following criteria: the top three ranked all-around athletes who are not already on the senior national team; two based on the National Team Points System; two athletes selected by the Men's Program Committee; and one selected by the national team coordinator.

The top 42 gymnasts, according to the Men's Program Committee's points ranking system, will advance to the final competition, along with the top three gymnasts on each apparatus. The all-around and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For information on the points ranking system used for advancement to the final round, as well as the one for determining the national team.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport.  Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and group gymnastics.  For more complete information, log on to www.usagym.org.