July 18, 2007

RIO DE JANIERO, Brazil - Fresh off his bronze medal finish in the team competition with the USA Men's Gymnastics Pan American team, Illinois assistant coach Justin Spring added a gold medal to his accomplishments at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday night. The six-time NCAA champion and 2006 Nissen-Emery award winner grabbed perhaps his highest honor of his career to date, winning the parallel bars title with a score of 15.550 to claim his first gold medal of his career at an international event of this caliber.

Other medalists in the individual event finals included Guillermo Alvarez of Denver, who earned silver on floor exercise, and Sean Golden of Camden, N.J., who took home silver on still rings.

In all, combined with the USA women's gymnastics team accomplishments, the USA's medal tally for artistic gymnastics totaled 16 - six gold, seven silver and three bronze - for the 2007 Pan Am Games. Spring finished as the only American man to win a gold at this year's Pan American Games.

"These few days have provided a terrific opportunity for our athletes to represent their country and sharpen their competitive skills," Steve Penny said, president of USA Gymnastics. "We are proud of all of them."

"This is the most exciting competition I have ever competed in," Spring said. "I can't believe there is this much energy at a gymnastics event. It's outstanding."

Competing on three events total during the 2007 Pan Am Games, Spring added a sixth-place finish on high bar (14.175) and a seventh-place performance on floor exercise (14.700).

"The crowd was cheering on Brazil, and back in the States, I would do the same. (The cheering) didn't affect me, however. When it came down to high bar, my arms were killing me from the days of competition and they just gave out. There was nothing I could do about it. It still was a great experience and again one of the best meets I have ever competed in."

2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
INDIVIDUAL EVENT FINALS (MEDALISTS)
Floor exercise
1. Diego Hypolito, Brazil, 15.875
2. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, 15.625
3. Enrique Gonzales, Chile, 15.550
Other USA finish
7. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 14.700

Pommel horse
1. Luis Rivera, Puerto Rico, 15.175
1. Jose Fuentes, Venezuela, 15.175
3. A. Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, 15.025

Still rings
1. Regulo Carmona, Venezuela, 15.675
2. Sean Golden, Camden, N.J., 15.275
3. Carlos Carbonell, Venezuela, 15.150
Other USA finish
5. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 14.900

Vault
1. Diego Hypolito, Brazil, 16.162
2. Enrique Gonzales, Chile, 15.937
3. Luis Rivera, Puerto Rico, 15.737

Parallel bars
1. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 15.550
2. Jorge Giraldo, Colombia, 15.300
3. Luis Vargas, Puerto Rico, 15.150
Other USA finish
8. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, 13.000

Horizontal bar
1. Mosiah Rodrigues, Brazil, 14.625
2. Jorge Giraldo, Colombia, 14.550
3. Danilo Nogueira, Brazil, 14.450
Other USA finishes
6. Justin Spring, Burke, Va., 14.175
7. Todd Thornton, Houston, 13/975