Makowske, Hamers, Mikulak Advance to Winter Cup Finals

Thursday, February 3

Las Vegas, Nev.

10:00 AM PT

Michigan

Winter Cup Prelims

Makowske, Hamers, Mikulak Advance to Winter Cup Finals

2/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

Feb. 4, 2011

• Event Results | All-Around Results

Site: Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas Sports Center)
Event: Winter Cup Challenge (prelims)
Score: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Meet: Saturday, Feb. 5 -- at Winter Cup Challenge - Finals (Las Vegas, Nev.), 7:15 p.m. PST

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Six members of the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team competed on Thursday (Feb. 3) in the preliminaries of the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup Challenge at the Las Vegas Sports Center. Athletes compete on a points-based system in order to qualify into the finals. The top 20 athletes on each event receive points, and the top 42 competitors in points after the prelims and the top three individuals on each event advance to finals.

The preliminaries consisted of three sessions. Two Michigan athletes competed in the first session, Ian Makowske (Redding, Conn./Joel Barlow) and Adam Hamers (Salem, Ore./ South Salem). Makowske competed on high bar and floor exercise, while Hamers competed on pommel horse. At the conclusion of session one, Makowske was leading the scoreboard in both his events, scoring a 14.80 on FX and 14.35 on HB. Hamers was sitting in fourth after the session with a 13.25.

Four Michigan gymnasts were in session three: Michael Myler (North Orem, Utah/ Timpanogos), Sam Mikulak (Corona del Mar, Calif./ Corona del Mar), Thomas Kelley (Libertyville, Ill./ Libertyville) and Chris Cameron (Winter Haven, Fla./ Lake Region).

The Wolverines began action on the parallel bars, as Kelly led the guys on the event, taking a 14.50. Moving to HB for the second event, Myler and Kelly competed for U-M. Both athletes struggled on their routines, with Kelley falling on his laid-out tkachev. Mikulak highlighted the third rotation (floor exercise) with a new routine packed with difficulty; his routine was nearly flawless until his last pass, a double twisting double back, where he landed short and put his hands down. [ Watch Mikulak's floor routine here ]

The Wolverines moved to pommel horse for the fourth rotation, where Cameron, Myler and Kelley competed. Cameron, who is already prequalified for National Team because of his placement on the 2010 World Team back in October, tried an upgraded horse routine with a little trouble.

On rings, the fifth rotation, Cameron and Kelley competed. Cameron, again, pushed for an upgraded routine and experienced some trouble on his dismount.

In the final rotation on vault, Michigan had the highlight of the night, when Mikulak went for an upgraded routine. Attempting a triple twisting vault, Mikulak wowed the crowd and garnered cheers from his teammates when he stuck the landing. Mikulak is one of the few gymnasts in the world who is able to do this vault. His efforts awarded him a 16.05 and the first-place position on the event after prelims.

Mikulak, Hamers and Makowske gathered enough points to advance to the Winter Cup finals, taking place this Saturday (Feb. 5) at 7:15 p.m. PST.

Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores

FLOOR EXERCISEIan Makowske    14.80 (10)Michael Myler   12.80Sam Mikulak     14.40 (19)Thomas Kelley   13.70 POMMEL HORSEAdam Hamers     13.23 (8)Chris Cameron   11.40Michael Myler   12.00Thomas Kelley   11.15 STILL RINGSChris Cameron   14.00 (12)Thomas Kelley   12.60 VAULTSam Mikulak     16.05 (1)Thomas Kelley   13.55Michael Myler   14.15 PARALLEL BARSThomas Kelley   14.50 (10)Chris Cameron   13.85Michael Myler   13.50 HIGH BARIan Makowske    14.35 (4)Thomas Kelley   13.55Michael Myler   12.95 Top 20 receive points