We’ve looked at some of the strongest female competitors for the Youth Olympics, so it’s time to switch gears and focus on the men of the Games.

Pictured: Alec Yoder

 

Alec Yoder—USA

 

Alec will serve as the lone representative for Team USA in artistic gymnastics, unlike many countries that send both a male and female competitor. He is coming off of a successful spring filled with several international assignments. He will be in the hunt for medals in Nanjing, especially on pommel horse where he has won both national and international titles in recent years.

 

• Birthdate: 1/21/1997

• Hometown: Indianapolis

• Club: InterActive Academy

• Coach(es): Gene Watson

• Notable accomplishments:

           2013 P&G Championships junior (15-16) PH gold

           2013 International Junior Mexican Cup AA silver/team gold

           2014 Pan Am junior AA silver/PH gold/SR gold/PB gold/team gold

           2014 Pac Rim junior AA silver/PH gold/SR bronze/team gold

 

 

Nils Dunkel—Germany

 

Nils qualified to the YOG with a score of 76.950, but according to DTB official Jens Milbradt, he hopes to improve significantly on this score by maintaining calm nerves, something which he struggled with in earlier competitions. This will undoubtedly be a great opportunity for the junior gymnast to test his nerves in the midst of some of his toughest international competitors.

 

• Birthdate: 2/20/1997

• Hometown: Erfurt

• Club: SC Berlin

• Coach(es): Steffen Jahn

• Notable accomplishments:

           2013 German junior  AA gold/PH gold/SR gold/PH gold/HB gold

           2014 German junior PH silver/SR gold/PB bronze

 

 

Nikita Nagornyy—Russia

 

Nikita qualified to the 2014 YOG with the highest all-around score of an 84.565 at the Junior Russian Championships qualifications. He will definitely be one to watch in the all-around in Nanjing, as well as the event finals, where his qualifying scores placed him in the top four athletes on every apparatus.

 

• Birthdate: 2/12/1997

• Hometown: Rostov-Na-Donu

• Coach(es): A.I. Zabelin

• Notable accomplishments:

           2014 European junior VT gold

 

 

Giarnni Regini-Moran—Great Britain

 

Giarnni has had a stellar 2014 season both in British gymnastics and on the international stage, including the all-around gold at the British Championships and three medals at the European Championships. He had the second-highest qualifying score for the YOG (with an all-around score of 82.850) and will likely challenge Nagornyy for a spot on the podium in the all-around and several event finals.

 

• Birthdate: 8/2/1998

• Hometown: Crayford

• Club: Europa

• Coach(es): Peter Etherington

• Notable accomplishments:

           2014 British junior (under-16) AA gold

           2014 European junior FX gold/VT silver/team gold

 

 

Clay Stephens—Australia

 

Clay will look to build on his recent international success at the Pacific Rim Championships in Canada, where he won the junior vault title, as he competes in Nanjing.

 

• Birthdate: 5/19/1997

• Hometown: Largs Bay

• Club: Gym JETS

• Coach(es): Yu Bo

• Notable accomplishments:

           2012 Australia junior (U-17) AA bronze/FX gold/PB silver

           2014 Pac Rim junior VT gold

           2014 Australia junior (U-17) AA gold/FX gold/PH bronze/VT gold/PB gold/HB gold

 

 

Related:

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

Yoder to Represent USA