Winner’s Stand Graced by Adamek All 7 Times

By the time they had finished announcing the individual winners at the City Section boys’ gymnastics finals, one would have thought that the outlines of two feet exactly the size of Shawn Adamek’s had been painted on the stand.

The Monroe High standout trekked to the top of the winner’s stand seven times Thursday night at University High after winning all six individual events and capturing the all-around title with a total of 55.20 points, only .20 behind the City record of 55.40 set in 1984 by ex-Monroe and current UCLA gymnast David Moriel.

“Oh, sure I’m happy,” Adamek said of his first City championship. “I’m more than happy. I hit all my events tonight. It was one of my best meets ever.

“I still would have liked the record.”

Adamek, a junior, will have to wait until next year for another shot at the record.

“The accomplishments of Shawn for just an 11th-grader are amazing,” said Coach Les Sasvary, who has been at Monroe since 1966. “At this stage, I’d say he’s right up there with Moriel.”

Adamek peaked with a 9.35 on the pommel horse, considered to be his best event. He added scores of 9.20 in the floor exercise, vault and parallel bars.

And going into the final event of the night, the horizontal bar, he needed a 9.45 to tie Moriel’s record. Clouding that possibility, though, was the fact that Adamek’s career best on the bar was a 9.40. His score of 9.25 was good enough for his second-best all-around performance.

His total of 54.35 in the team finals Tuesday remains his best.

But outside of the Adamek highlight film, teammate Gil Lahavy showed off his own bright future by capturing second place with a total of 48.80. Lahavy is a sophomore.

Last year’s champion, Jaime Herrera of San Fernando, was hampered by an injured ankle and finished fourth.

Taft’s Troy Stewart finished strongly to capture third place with a score of 47.75.