It is a drawback of the 6-3-3 team finals format (which shifts to 5-3-3 for the London Olympics), that talented all-around gymnasts are often left off of major teams in favor of gymnasts with one or two spectacular events.  At this year's Trials, with only five spots available and one of the deepest men's fields ever, it is likely that at least one outstanding all-around gymnast will not make the cut.  


Copyright Donald Miralle

At the 2008 Olympic Trials, only one gymnast, Jonathan Horton, posted a higher total over the two nights of competition than Raj Bhavsar.  He had shaken off the disappointment of just missing the 2004 Olympic Team and was peaking at the right time, hitting all twelve routines at Trials, in a zen-like display of consistency.

Bhavsar hit confident routines on pommel horse both nights, after missing the event at the Visa Championships.  His 15.7 on parallel bars was the highest of any gymnast on night one.  His dismounts on still rings (double-twisting double layout) and high bar (triple back somersault) were among the most daring and difficult in the world, and Bhavsar did them with ease.

At the end of the competition, Bhavsar finished second on parallel bars, third on still rings and vault, sixth on floor exercise, seventh on pommels and ninth on high bar.  

Although he was only outscored by Horton, the selection procedure added scores from Visa Championships to determine a gymnast's final ranking.  Bhavsar's mistakes from nearly a month earlier cost him an automatic berth onto the Olympic Team.  Joseph Hagerty, whom Bhavsar outscored both nights of Trials, edged past him in the final rankings.  The top two gymnasts were guaranteed spots on the Beijing squad, and Hagerty overtook Bhavsar by a minuscule .08 to obtain "lock" status.  

Despite hitting twelve-for-twelve, posting the second-best scores at Trials and finishing less than .1 away from a lock position, Bhavsar was not named to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.  The selected gymnasts were Paul Hamm, Horton, Hagerty, Morgan Hamm, Justin Spring and Kevin Tan.  The alternates were Bhavsar, Alexander Artemev and David Durante.


Copyright Donald Miralle 

For the second Olympic cycle in a row, Raj Bhavsar had just missed the cut.  In 2004, he finished first on still rings, but a disastrous performance on night one kept him back in ninth place, and Bhavsar was named alternate.

While his performances and demeanor at the 2008 Trials showed his intense desire and commitment to being an Olympian, Bhavsar took the decision in stride.  

"I did my job," he told NBC.  "There's no extrinsic reward that can defeat my sense of inner accomplishment."

Eventually, Bhavsar did get to call himself an Olympian, as both he and Artemev were inserted onto the team after the Hamm brothers both withdrew due to injuries.  Bhavsar helped the U.S. team to a bronze medal in Beijing, competing four events in the team final.

Stay tuned for more Memorable Trials Performances and don't miss our feature on Courtney Kupets at the '04 Olympic Trials.