Gymnastics: Lemont's Bobby Baker Falls Just Short of U.S. Junior Men's National Team

Lemont gymnast Bobby Baker fell just short of the U.S. Junior Men's National Team on Saturday, finishing eighth in the 14-15 division at the Visa Championships in St. Louis.

Baker, 16, earned a combined score of 160.350 at the event, which placed the top seven men in each division on USA Gymnastics' junior and senior national teams.

Making the junior national team were:

1. Marvin Kimble, Milwaukee, WI, 169.800
2. Yul Moldauer, Arvada, CO, 166.900
3. Marty Strech, Fountain Valley, CA, 165.850
4. Hunter Justus, Cypress, TX, 162.700
5. Fabian DeLuna, Frisco, TX, 161.400
6. David Jessen, East Greenwich, RI, 161.200
7. Tristan Burke, Royse City, TX, 160.700

Baker finished second on rings (27.850), 17th on floor (25.650), 15th on vault (28.900), seventh on pommel horse (25.400), eighth on high bar (25.850) and 10th on parallel bars (26.700).

The Lemont High School junior last month after finishing third in the all-around at the U.S. Men's Junior Olympic National Championships on May 13 in Cincinnati.

"This is a huge accomplishment for Bobby, and a great opportunity to move forward in his gymnastics career," Jeff Baker told Patch last month.

This year marked Baker's second appearance at the Visa Championships. Last year in the junior division, 14-15 age group.

According to his USA Gymnastics profile, Baker became a gymnast at age 5. He trains at Aerial Gymnastics Club in Downers Grove under coach Tim O'Connell.

The Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics' national competition, features gymnasts vying for national titles and spots on the U.S. national team in men's, women's and rhythmic gymnastics. USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is "to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport."

For more information on the competition, visit www.usagym.org/visa.

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