Spanish Springs High School graduate Jake Dalton is one step closer to a spot on the U.S. Men’s Olympic Gymnastics team after a strong showing at last weekend’s Visa National Championships. Dalton, now a junior at the University of Oklahoma, finished 4th in overall points and is one of the fifteen men who will compete at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California June 28 – July 1. The U.S. men’s and women’s teams will be chosen after that event to compete in the London Summer Games July 27 – August 12.
Dalton, the reigning NCAA champion, won the vault and floor exercise national titles last weekend in St. Louis. Thanks to those strong performances, he was one of six gymnasts to automatically qualify for the Olympic Trials.
19-year old Bronx, New York phenom John Orozco edged out Daniel Leyva for the overall men’s title. Barring disaster during the Olympic Trials many consider Orozco and Leyva to be near locks for two of the six berths on the men’s team. The overall winner of the nationals and trials automatically make the Olympic team, with the other four team members chosen by a selection committee.
