Michigan Olympic Updates: Men's Gymnastics
8/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics, Olympics
• Rio Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Tuesday, Aug. 16
Event Finals: High Bar
Competing in the No. 4 position on high bar, Mikulak ripped off a fantastic routine for a 15.400. The set featured a Cassina that was added into the routine for finals, as well as a Tak and Yami and a Tkatchev half. He finished off with a small hop on his double-double layout to move into third place.
In the bronze position heading into the final competitor, teammate Danell Leyva moved into a silver medal spot with a 15.500, bumping Mikulak off the medal stand to conclude Mikulak's Olympic journey.
• Sam Mikulak: 4th, high bar, 15.400
Tuesday, Aug. 14
Event Finals: Floor Exercise
Competing in the No. 8 position in floor exercise finals, Sam Mikulak, who was the top qualifier on the event (15.800), marked a 14.333 after needing a 15.433 to medal. He had a rough time from the get-go with a small hop on his initial pass with a two-and-a-half double front and Randi. He then modified his routine with a Rudi and had a step on his triple-full landing. He will wrap up his 2016 Olympics with high bar finals on Tuesday (Aug. 16) at 2:34 p.m. EDT.
• Sam Mikulak: 8th, floor exercise, 14.333
Wednesday, Aug. 10
All-Around Final
Competing in individual all-around finals, Sam Mikulak began his quest for individual glory on pommel horse, where he opened with a Mikulak, and finished with a few issues on his Russian before ending with a strong dismount for a 14.600. On still rings in the second rotation, he opened with an Azarian cross and followed with a kip to Maltese and finished with a double-double dismount for a 14.366.
With his two more difficult skills out of the way and him tied for 19th overall, he came up short on his Kasamatsu two-and-a-half and landed with his knees low to the ground for a 14.566 to move up to 16th. On parallel bars, he made up ground in the next rotation, rocking his set, flying on his straddled front into a moy. He then stuck his double front half cold for a 15.766 to move up to ninth overall with a 59.298.
Following a huge high bar set that featured a Kohlman and a Tkatchvev-half, he stuck his double-double dismount for a 15.133. Sitting in 11th place heading into the final rotation with a 74.431 total, he finished off his day with a 15.200 on floor for a 89.631 total score to place seventh.
Mikulak will next partake in floor exercise finals Sunday (Aug. 14) at 1 p.m. as well as the high bar finals Tuesday (Aug. 16) at 2:34 p.m.
• Sam Mikulak: 15.200, floor; 14.366, still rings; 14.600, pommel horse; 14.566, vault; 15.766, parallel bars; 15.133, high bar.
Monday, Aug. 8
Team Final
In team all-around finals on Monday (Aug. 8), Sam Mikulak was an instrumental part in Team USA's fifth-place finish with a team total of 268.560 behind Japan (274.094), Russia (271.453), China (271.122) and Great Britain (269.752).
The four-time U.S. all-around champion competed on five of six events. Following an uncharacteristic 14.866 on floor, he marked a serviceable 14.733 on pommel horse before sitting out still rings. In the final three rotations, he turned it on. In the fourth on vault, he stuck his Kasimatsu two-and-a half for a 15.366. Following a big vault rotation for team USA of 45.865, the Red, White and Blue sat only 1.244 points from bronze medal position.
On parallel bars, he marked an exemplary 15.700 that began with front toss to open, a peach half and a Giant Suarez with a double front dismount for the top American score on the event, and he closed out his team final with a 15.000 on high bar. However, the team rotation took a big hit when teammate Dannell Levya botched his high bar routine, ending the remote chance of Team USA earning a bronze medal.
Mikulak will next take part in all-around competition on Wednesday (Aug. 10) at 3 p.m. Additionally, he will partake in floor exercise finals Sunday (Aug. 14) at 1 p.m. as well as the high bar finals Tuesday (Aug. 16) at 2:34 p.m.
• Sam Mikulak: 14.866, floor; 14.733, pommel horse; 15.366, vault; 15.700, parallel bars; 15.000, high bar.
Saturday, Aug. 6
Men's Qualification Subdivision 2
Sam Mikulak of Team USA led off his day on the vault table, where he marked a 15.100 with his Kasimatsu 2.5 after a small hop on the landing. Leading off on parallel bars, Mikulak turned in a clean routine that included a front toss to a Peach half, a straddle front, and a double front dismount for a 15.375. His high bar routine, sans one of his newer skills (Cassina), was a show stopper that featured a well executed a Kohlman and a stuck double layout double double for a 15.133.
The U-M legend then turned in one of the top floor exercise scores on his next routine, sticking a triple full to conclude his set for a 15.800. On pommel horse in the fifth rotation, he had his first hiccup of the day, stumbling on the apparatus on his Sivado skill before remounting for his dismount. After a small error on the dismount, he was awarded a 13.100. On rings in the sixth and final rotation, he bounced back after the horse routine, sticking a double-double dismount for a 14.533 to total an all-around mark of 89.041.
Overall, Mikulak sat in seventh place in the all-around after qualification and will go for individual glory in all-around finals on Wednesday (Aug. 10). In team competition, the United States earned the second spot, trailing only China, in team qualifying with a 270.405. Mikulak and the rest of Team USA will compete in the team finals Monday (Aug. 8) at 3 p.m.
Later in Olympiad, he will take part in the floor exercise finals Sunday (Aug. 14) at 1 p.m., as well as the high bar finals Tuesday (Aug. 16) at 2:34 p.m.
• Sam Mikulak: 89.041 (7th Place, All-Around)
