Chumreonlert, T?trault Invited to Winter Cup

As the Huskers take a break from team competition this week, sophomore Paul Chumreonlert and freshman Stephen T?trault will join some of the nation’s best at the 2005 Winter Cup in Las Vegas, Nev.  Preliminary events begin Friday, Feb. 4 with sessions at 3:30 and 7:30 CST followed by finals on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

An invitation-only event, the Winter Cup hosts some of the sport’s best from around the nation all vying for the chance to become a part of the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>United States national team.  The top-24 competitors from each event are invited to the U.S. Championships and from there could become contenders for the 2008 Olympic team.

 

Like many of the competitors at this weekend’s event, Chumreonlert submitted a video to a panel of judges that chose to accept his application for both the pommel horse and still rings based on skill and level of difficulty.  Head Coach Francis Allen is confident about Chumreonlert’s chances heading into the Winter Cup, especially following his outstanding performance on the pommel horse last weekend at the West Point Open.

 

“Paul [Chumreonlert] definitely has the potential to make the national team,”  Allen said.  “He’s been solid for us all season and this meet will be his chance to work out any last kinks and put it all on the table.”

 

Unlike Chumreonlert, T?trault was never required to submit an entry, but instead enters the meet through a different door.  As a top-12 finalist in the all-around from last year’s Junior Nationals, he is automatically assured a spot in the all-around of the 2005 Winter Cup.

 

“This meet is really a great opportunity for such a young gymnast,”  Allen said.  “T?trault will get to pit himself against some of the best and that’s going to evaluate where he’s at in his routines.”  

 

How the Cup Works

 

The Winter Cup is designed to determine which gymnasts will qualify for the United States Championships in June.  In order to merit an invitation, an athlete must qualify via:

- AA finals from the 2004 U.S. Championships

- Top-15 finish in the 2004 Jr. Elite AA

- Top-20 AA finish from 2004 Winter Cup

- Top-six AA finish from the 2004 NCAA

- Approved video petition

 

A total of 84 competitors will take part in the senior men’s division of the 2005 Winter Cup.  Preliminaries begin on Friday, Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m. CST, but both Chumreonlert and T?trault will begin their rotations during Session II, which begins at 7:30 p.m.. 

 

Updated scores and finishes can be found throughout the meet by visitng dustyritter.com.  A complete meet recap as well as individual scores for both Chumreonlert and T?trault can be found on Huskers.com following the competition.

 

 

Friedman Still Tentative for Nebraska

 

The return of senior All-American Steven Friedman to the Nebraska competition lineup is still uncertain following a torn bicep he sustained just prior to the season opener at the Rocky Mountain Open three weeks ago.  Friedman was scheduled to compete in selected events at last week’s West Point Open, but Head Coach Francis Allen made the decision to withdraw him in order to avoid aggrivating the weakened muscle.

 

“Steven’s the key to our still rings and parallel bars routines,”  Allen said.  “We want him back in there as much as anybody but we’re not willing to lose him for the rest of the season in order to do it.”

 

Friedman earned All-American honors for the Huskers on the parallel bars in 2003 and has since struggled through a string of unfortunate injuries that have left him unfit for competition.  A pair of shoulder surgeries and a knee surgery forced Friedman to redshirt in 2004 with the hopes of returning to full strength by his senior season.  However, the torn bicep he suffered just days before the season began prolonged his absence.  Fortunately for the Huskers, Friedman has again begun full workouts in practice, and Allen expects he will return for Nebraska’s next team competition against Oklahoma on Sunday, Feb. 13.

 

“Steven [Friedman] did some strength lifts for me the other day and he did remarkably well,”  Allen said.  “With him ready for Oklahoma, we should be able to run with anybody in the conference.”

 

Young Texan Makes his Presence Known

 

With just two meets of his sophomore season behind him, Paul Chumreonlert, a native of Houston, Texas, is already making a name for himself in and around the collegiate gymnastics scene.  He has already laid claim to his first event title with a first-place finish on the pommel horse at the Rocky Mountain Open and enjoys a comfortable spot in the national pommel horse rankings, moving from eighth to fourth (9.387) in this week’s polls.

 

Last week at the West Point Open, Chumreonlert bested his pommel horse score of 9.45 with a 9.55 during the team event and then topped it again the very next evening with a 9.6 for second place.  What’s more, Chumreonlert received these scores from head pommel judge Harry Burke, who helped officiate the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

 

Nebraska Tidbits

 

Did you know...

 

-Chumreonlert and T?trault are the only Huskers to earn event titles this season.  Both gymnasts claimed their honors at the Rocky Mountain Open with Chumreonlert on the pommel horse (9.45) and T?trault on the vault (9.40)

 

-Assistant Coach Chuck Chmelka is also the program director and head coach for the Nebraska School of Gymnastics boys’ team.  In all, Chmelka has sent 17 gymnasts into the collegiate ranks, including freshman Stephen T?trault.

 

- As a team, the Huskers currently rank seventh nationally on the pommel horse with an average score of 35.45.  This is the highest ranking Nebraska has attained since the 2000 season.