Men’s gymnastics: second rotation, ups and downs

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PHILADELPHIA -- Second rotation is completed.

UP: Raj Bhavsar held his poses on the still rings, smiled through his Maltese Cross, had the tiniest of steps on his landings and pumped his fists in excitement at seeing a score of 15.600. Olympic dream still alive.... Jonanthan Horton did a jam-packed, five-pass floor exercise routine and finished it off with a full in, back out dismount. His score of 15.650 was better than Thursday night.... David Durante stuck his tongue out at the end of his parallel bars routine where every handstand was held and every swing was filled with confidence. He scored 15.450.

DOWN: Morgan Hamm left out his new signature skill called the ‘air flare’ and downgraded his final tumbling pass dismount into a double tuck and still skidded off the mat. Hamm, who had pectoral muscle surgery in January and who has been working on a sprained ankle for two months, grimaced before that final pass. His score of 14.350 was by far his worst of his two rounds at nationals and first round here. Because Hamm is only competing in four events he would be expected to score in the top four or five on all those events. Guillermo Alvarez, who was on the 2007 men’s world championship team that finished fourth and finished fourth himself on floor exercise, also went out of bounds on the floor. His score of 14.900 is not what would put Alvarez on the team.

-- Diane Pucin

Top photo: Jonathan Horton during his floor exercise routine. Credit: Stew Milne / US Presswire

Photo at right: Raj Bhavsar dismounts from the rings on the second day of the men’s trials. Credit: Julie Jacobson / Associated Press