Sender wins men’s all-around title at 2008 Visa Championships

• Complete Results
• More Visa Championships Information
• Men's 10-Point Program Final Results

HOUSTON, May 24, 2008 - David Sender of Arlington Heights, Ill., won the men's all-around title at the 2008 Visa Championships at Reliant Park in Houston. Sender, who also took top honors in the vault, is one of 14 men who will advance to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Gymnastics, June 19-22, in Philadelphia.

The 10 men who qualified for the senior men's national team based on the points system and will advance to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials are: Alexander Artemev of Lakewood, Colo./Team Chevron; Raj Bhavsar of Houston/Team Chevron; David Durante of Garwood, N.J./Team Chevron; Sean Golden of Camden, N.J./Team Chevron; Joe Hagerty of Rio Ranchero, N.M./Team Chevron; Morgan Hamm of Waukesha, Wis.; Paul Hamm of Waukesha, Wis./Team Chevron; Jonathan Horton of Houston/Team Chevron; Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif./Team Chevron; and Sender, who competes for Stanford University. The remaining four members of the national team were selected by the Men's Program Committee: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver/Team Chevron; Tim McNeill of Falls Church, Va./University of California - Berkley; Justin Spring of Burke, Va./Team Chevron; and Yewki Tomita of Tucson, Ariz./Team Chevron. In addition, the Men's Program Committee approved the petition of Sean Townsend of Houston, Texas, who is injured, to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The individual event champions for 2008 are: Morgan Hamm, floor exercise; Tomita, pommel horse; Tan, still rings; Sender, vault; Spring, parallel bars; and Hagerty, horizontal bar.

Sender won the all-around title with a six-event total of 180.700. Horton was second at 180.450, followed by Hagerty at 180.300. Durante and Bhavsar rounded out the top five in the all-around. Both days of the men's competition counted equally toward the final score.

Sender had two very consistent days. He won the vault with a total of 32.450, with Golden coming in second at 32.350, and Bhavsar and Hamm tying for third at 32.100. Sender, who won the vault crown in 2004 and 2006, solidly landed his Yurchenko 2-1/2. He was fourth in the floor exercise and horizontal bar, fifth on still rings, and eighth on parallel bars.

"I was thrilled to win the all-around, but more importantly I proved to the selection committee that I can do two nights of steady gymnastics," said Sender. "Nothing's a given for me."

Morgan Hamm debuted an air flare, which he described as a break-dancing move, in his floor routine that earned a total of 31.350, earning him his third floor national title. Steve Legendre of Flower Mound, Texas, was second at 31.300 and Horton was third at 30.800.

Tomita earned his second pommel horse title with a two-day score of 30.150, finishing ahead of silver-medalist McNeill at 29.900 and bronze-medalist Clay Strother of Jasper, Texas, at 29.550. On the still rings, Tan turned in two very consistent days, earning a 16.650 and 16.700, to clinch his third straight title with a total score of 33.350. Horton finished second at 31.850, and Bhavsar and Golden tied for third at 31.100.

Spring's 30.900 earned him his first U.S. parallel bars title. Artemev was second at 30.650, and Durante was third at 30.600. Hagerty posted a 31.00 to win the horizontal bar individual event crown. Durante was second at 30.200, followed by Morgan Hamm at 30.100.

The Visa Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men.

About Reliant Park

Reliant Park is managed and operated by SMG. Reliant Park is the premier convention, tradeshow, entertainment and sports complex located in Houston - the cultural center and urban hub of Texas. Four major facilities - Reliant Center, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Arena and Reliant Astrodome - encompass 350 acres. Having previously hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII, the 2002 and 2005 Big 12 Conference Football Championships, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Regionals in 2008 and 2010, the Final Four in 2011 and now the 2008 Visa Championships, Reliant Park is establishing itself as a long-term home for major national and international sporting events.

About Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
Houston is a cultural melting pot-home to a vibrant arts scene, thriving ethnic neighborhoods and NASA's Johnson Space Center. Houston is one of a handful of American cities to house professional theater companies for each of the major arts disciplines. Sports fans can rally behind Houston's professional teams in nearly every major sport. Houston is also home to the world's largest concentration of medical professionals, world's largest rodeo and nationally acclaimed restaurants and shopping. With 56,405 acres of total park space, Houston rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of park land. For more information on Houston, log on to www.visithoustontexas.com or call 1-800-4HOUSTON.

About USA Gymnastics
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, and acrobatic gymnastics.

2008 Visa Championships
Reliant Arena
Houston, Texas
May 24, 2008
Senior men's final results

All-around
1. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 180.700
2. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 180.450
3. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 180.300
4. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 178.950
5. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 178.250
6. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 178.150
7. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 177.950
8. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 176.650
9. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 175.700
10. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 175.600
11. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 173.550
11. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 173.550
13. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 173.350
14. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 172.050
15. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 171.650
16. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 170.600
17. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 167.900
18. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 167.800
19. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 167.650
20. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 166.900
21. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 146.650
22. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 143.700
23. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 142.700

Floor exercise
1. Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis., 31.350
2. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 31.300
3. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 30.800
4. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 30.750
5. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 30.600
6. Chris Brooks, Houston, Texas, 30.100
7. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 30.050
8. Sean Golden, Camden, N.J., 29.800
8. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 29.800
10. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 29.550
11. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 29.500
12. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 29.400
13. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.300
14. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 29.200
15. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 29.050
15. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.050
17. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 29.000
18. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 28.850
19. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 28.650
19. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 28.650
21. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 28.450
22. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 28.050
23. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 28.000
24. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 27.900
25. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 27.350
26. Kerry Adderly, Bethlehem, Pa., 27.250
27. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 27.150
28. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 26.900
29. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 14.600

Pommel horse
1. Yewki Tomita, Tucson, Ariz., 30.150
2. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.900
3. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 29.550
4. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 29.250
5. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 29.150
6. Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif., 28.950
7. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 28.750
8. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 28.400
8. Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis., 28.400
10. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 28.250
11. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 28.200
12. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 28.100
13. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 27.950
14. Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 27.850
15. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 27.800
16. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 27.550
17. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 27.450
18. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 27.200
19. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 27.150
20. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 27.050
20. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 27.050
22. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 27.000
22. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 27.000
24. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 26.500
25. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 26.300
26. Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J., 26.000
27. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 25.250
28. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 12.300

Still rings
1. Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif., 33.350
2. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 31.850
3. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 31.100
3. Sean Golden, Camden, N.J., 31.100
5. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 30.700
6. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 30.600
7. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 30.300
8. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 30.050
9. Kyle Brady, Monterey, Calif., 30.000
10. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 29.800
11. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 29.650
12. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 29.600
12. Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 29.600
14. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 29.550
15. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.300
16. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.250
16. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 29.250
18. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 29.050
18. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 29.050
18. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 29.050
21. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 28.800
22. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 28.350
22. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 28.350
24. Jake Lee, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 28.200
25. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 28.150
26. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 28.050
27. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 28.000
28. Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J., 27.850
29. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 27.600
30. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 27.250
31. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 27.000
32. Kerry Adderly, Bethlehem, Pa., 26.500
33. Greg Stine, Houston, Texas, 14.450
34. Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J., 14.400
35. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 12.650

Vault
1. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 32.450
2. Sean Golden, Camden, N.J., 32.350
3. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 32.100
3. Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis., 32.100
5. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 32.050
6. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 31.950
6. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 31.950
6. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 31.950
9. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 31.750
10. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 31.700
11. Chris Brooks, Houston, Texas, 31.650
12. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 31.350
13. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 31.150
14. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 31.050
15. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 31.000
15. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 31.000
17. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 30.850
17. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 30.850
19. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 30.800
20. Kerry Adderly, Bethlehem, Pa., 30.550
21. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 30.450
22. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 30.350
23. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 30.300
23. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 30.300
23. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 30.300
26. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 29.650
27. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 29.450
28. Jake Lee, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 29.200
29. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 29.150
30. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 28.350
31. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 15.200

Parallel bars
1. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 30.900
2. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 30.650
3. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 30.600
4. Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif., 30.550
5. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 30.400
6. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 30.300
7. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 30.250
8. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 30.200
9. Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 30.050
10. Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J., 29.700
11. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 29.650
12. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 29.550
13. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 29.450
14. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 29.200
15. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 29.050
16. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.000
16. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 29.000
18. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 28.900
19. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 28.850
20. Chris Brooks, Houston, Texas, 28.800
21. Jake Lee, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 28.750
21. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 28.750
23. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 28.700
24. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 28.600
25. Yewki Tomita, Tucson, Ariz., 28.500
25. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 28.500
27. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 28.350
28. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 27.900
29. Greg Stine, Houston, Texas, 27.850
30. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 27.750
31. Kyle Brady, Monterey, Calif., 27.700
31. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 27.700
33. Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J., 27.550
34. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 27.500
35. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 27.400
36. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 26.650
37. Kerry Adderly, Bethlehem, Pa., 26.300

Horizontal bar
1. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 31.000
2. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 30.200
3. Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis., 30.100
4. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 29.550
5. Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas, 29.500
6. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.400
7. Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., 29.300
8. Danell Leyva *, Miami, Fla., 29.250
9. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 29.150
9. Alexander Artemev, Lakewood, Colo., 29.150
11. Wesley Haggensen, Belleville, Ill., 28.800
12. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 28.700
13. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 28.400
14. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 28.300
15. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 28.150
16. Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas, 28.100
17. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 28.000
18. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 27.800
19. Chris Brooks, Houston, Texas, 27.750
20. Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J., 27.700
21. Edward Mesa *, Cooper City, Fla., 27.550
21. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 27.550
23. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 27.400
24. Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif., 27.300
24. David Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 27.300
24. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 27.300
24. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 27.300
28. Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas, 27.200
29. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 27.050
30. Kerry Adderly, Bethlehem, Pa., 27.000
31. Steve Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 26.950
32. Yewki Tomita, Tucson, Ariz., 26.850
33. Jake Lee, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 26.800
34. Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J., 26.750
35. Alexy Bilozertchev *, Hilliard, Ohio, 26.450
36. Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 25.550
37. Greg Stine, Houston, Texas, 13.250