2009 Tyson American Cup

Sears Center, Hoffman Estates
Saturday, February 21st

Saturday was truly a good day for the United States and Germany.  With those two countries claiming all six top spots in both the women’s and men’s all around competitions in the Tyson American Cup, being held at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, IL.

The Tyson American Cup is held every year, once a year, with Nastia Liukin winning in 2008 and 2007.  Winning the Tyson American Cup has special significance too, as usually the winners of the tournament go on to claim gold in the Olympic games.  This is the first time the tournament will be held in Chicago and the city is excited. 

23-year-old David Sender, competing for the USA, set the tone for the competition when he scored a 14.5 on pommel horse, a score good enough to win the event.  The pommel horse has given Sender difficulty in the past and it was huge for him to start out the competition winning on one of his weakest events.  He set the bar high, leaving no room for mistakes and making for a tight competition. 

Sender, who just graduated from Stanford University and hails from nearby Arlington Heights, IL, might be leaving the sport of gymnastics after this year, to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.  He is currently unsure of his plans, and is just currently enjoying competing in the sport he loves.

“I haven’t decided,” Sender said.  “Right now I’m just taking it a little bit at a time and just see where it goes.” 

David Durante, who was the only alternate for the men’s gymnastics team at the Beijing Olympic Games, also coaches Sender.  Durante has since retired from competition and is focusing on coaching, lending his talent and expertise to helping Sender.

Sender would go on to win two other events, the rings and vault, earning the highest score of the night with a 16.2 for his vault.  The vault Sender preformed, a Yurchenko mount with 2½ twists, had an extremely high difficulty score of 6.6.  This was obviously an incredibly difficult vault to perform and Sender not only pulled it off, but did it well.

Jordyn Wieber, competing for the USA, performed the same vault when her turn came, something only a handful of female gymnasts have even attempted in the last year.  While Wieber took a big step on the landing, the vault was still executed beautifully and she received a 15.75, the highest score of the night for the women.

"I didn't start doing that vault until I was 18 or 19," Sender said. "She's obviously a very talented little girl. I'm excited to see how she'll do in the next four years."

Wieber dominated the women’s competition, winning the vault, parallel bars, and balance beam.  Wieber stuck every routine she performed and really proved herself to be the next rising star in American gymnastics, a true product of the Karolyi training.  Wieber already trains at the Karolyi ranch in Texas, and at age 13 is the second youngest competitor ever to win the Tyson American Cup.

“Winning the tournament really helped with my confidence,” Wieber said. "I feel very honored to be one of these people now."

Bridget Sloan, competing for the USA, wasn’t far behind Wieber in the standings, performing exceptionally well.  Sloan, a silver medal winner on the 2008 women’s gymnastics team at the Beijing Olympic Games, is an extremely fluid and graceful gymnast.  She showed her talent to its fullest during her floor routine, winning the event as well, with a score of 14.75.  When Sloan stuck her landing for her final tumbling pass the crowd at the Sears Center went wild, knowing they had just witnessed greatness.

Sloan was not the only the Olympic veteran to compete though, as Joseph Hagerty, a bronze medal winner on the 2008 gymnastics Beijing Olympic team, was also serving up some spectacular routines throughout the night.  During the entire tournament, Hagerty was clean, solid, and an all-around impressive gymnast.  He even won the floor event, looking calm as ever during his performance.

But while Sender and Hagerty were putting up the big numbers and sticking their routines, Fabian Hambuechen was doing the same.  Hambuechen, competing for Germany was a member of the German men’s gymnastics team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the German team was in a tight battle with the United States for the men’s team bronze, and the USA clinched the title after Hambuechen had an uncharacteristic fall of the horizontal bar, one of his best events.  Hambuechen did come back to win bronze on the horizontal bar in the individual events though, proving his talent on the event.

““It was a little rough, but I’m pleased overall,” Hagerty said.

As the first major international competition after the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Hambuechen was able to put the past behind him and rise to the occasion.  It was Hambuechen and Sender as the athletes entered the final event, the horizontal bar.  Even commentator Dan Gill, a former gymnast for Stanford, called the situation a “nail biter.”  Sender performed first, finishing with a solid routine.  After he landed, his coach game over and gave him a huge hug.  Sender was obviously happy with his performance.  Hambuechen was the last contestant to go.  He needed more than a 15.5 to claim the number one spot, and if anyone could do it, it was Hambuechen on his best event. 

Fabian gave a flawless performance and after his dismount the tension filled the arena.  Everyone was waiting for the score.  Commentator Chelsea Memmel, silver medal winner on the 2008 women’s gymnastics team in Beijing, was confident that Hambuechen’s routine was “not quite enough” to pass Sender, but was to be proven wrong when Hambuechen’s score, 15.75, was posted on the score board.  He had won the event and the tournament with it.  

“It’s a great feeling and a good start for the year,” said Hambuechen. “This is the fifth time I’ve competed in this event and the first time for me to hit all my routines. I had surgery on my finger in December and I also had the flu in January, so my preparation was very difficult for this competition. I plan to go back to the gym and upgrade for European Championships in April.”

The women’s competitor for Germany, Kim Bui, was able to claim the bronze for the women’s all-around after Rebecca Downie, competing for Great Britain, had a bad floor routine.

For more photos from the 2009 Tyson American Cup, please visit our flickr page.

Complete Results

Women

1. Jordyn Wieber                  USA        60.2
2. Bridget Sloan                    USA        59.6
3. Kim Bui                             GER        56.0
4. Rebecca Downies            GBR        55.6
5. Amelia Racea                   ROU        55.15
6. Kristina Goryunova           RUS        54.6
7. Koko Tsumuri                   JPN        54.35
8. Youna Dufournet               FRA        52.95
9. Brittany Rogers                CAN        52.6
10. Jessica Lopez                VEN        51.6

Men

1. Fabian Hambuechen        GER        90.65
2. David Sender                    USA        90.45
3. Joseph Hagerty                 USA        89.55
4. Koji Uematsu                    JPN        89.35
5. Benoit Caranobe               FRA        88.65
6. Yury Ryazanov                 RUS        86.9
7. Adrian Bucur                     ROU        84.25
8. Luis Rivera                        PUR        83.95