Olympic notes: Hagerty continues to raise the bar

Combining strength, speed and skill, Joey Hagerty has dominated the horizontal bar with wins in four major competitions during the past two years.

The Olympic Training Center gymnast hopes that adding a tricky element propels his routine to the next level and puts him back atop the podium at the national championships Wednesday through Saturday in Dallas.

He’ll be joined by Colorado Springs residents Andrew Elkind, Wesley Haagensen, Justin Hackett, David Henderson, Matt Hicks, Spencer Johnson and Cassie Whitcomb; Philip Gifford of Monument; and Isaiah Turner of Pueblo West. Whitcomb was the parallel bars winner last month at the CoverGirl Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.

Part of the 2008 Olympic bronze medal-winning team, Hagerty, 27, attempted his altered routine for the first time July 11 in a fourth-place finish in a national qualifier at the OTC. He said, “It’s getting there. It’s still pretty new to me.”

USA Gymnastics men’s national team coordinator Ron Brant likes Hagerty’s chances of repeating as national champion on the horizontal bar — if that happens, Hagerty advances to the world championships in October in London.

“When we send him, there’s a 99 percent chance he’s going to hit,” Brant said. “He has a great mental attitude, a good work ethic. … He has become that guy you can call upon.”

Taekwondo competitor wins
Cheyenne Mountain High School graduate James Moontasri claimed a welterweight gold medal last month at the USA Taekwondo national championships in Austin, Texas. He will compete Aug. 18-22 at the Korea Open in Incheon, South Korea.

Triathletes claim victories
Olympic Training Center resident Andy Potts won the Ironman 70.3 Steelhead Triathlon on Aug. 1 in Benton Harbor, Mich. OTC resident Timothy O’Donnell posted a win Aug. 2 at the Viterra Ironman 70.3 Triathlon in Calgary, Alberta.

Wrestlers in action
Four Colorado Springs wrestlers — Clarissa Chun, Jessica Medina, Elena Pirozhkova and Deanna Rix — begin competition Thursday at the Poland Open in Warsaw. OTC resident Leigh Jaynes is practicing in Poland.

Shooter at nationals
Mitchell High School student Janessa Beaman competes through Saturday at the Amateur Trapshooting Association grand American world championships in Sparta, Ill. She took second Aug. 1 at the National Junior Olympic Shotgun Championships at Fort Carson.

Etc.
OTC modern pentathlete Eli Bremer and OTC shooter Corey Cogdell are ambassadors of the “Team for Tomorrow” fund, a U.S. Olympic Committee humanitarian relief effort. … Colorado-Colorado Springs has added a sports management major, with internships at the USOC and nine Olympic national governing bodies. … The National Showcase figure skating event starts Thursday at World Arena. … A USA Racquetball junior camp lasts through Wednesday at the OTC.