Japan's juniors repeat last year's victory in Houston

The RD761 International Junior Team Cup is named in honor of U.S. Junior National Team member Ricky Deci, who tragically passed away in 2001.
The annual RD761 age group invitational competition supports the Ricky Deci Memorial Fund.
This year, the US hosts met junior teams from Australia, France, Great Britain, Japan and Germany. In the 2019 team competition, Japanese boys took the title with a 240.100 total. The USA’s 236.750 put them ahead of Great Britain’s 227.200. Germany was fourth (224.800), followed by France (222.200) and Australia (218.000). The USA had the top team scores for still rings (39.700) and vault (42.850).

* TEAM RESULTS:
1. JAPAN       - 240,100;  2. USA       - 236,150;  3. GREAT BRITAIN - 227,200
4. GERMANY - 224,800;  5. FRANCE - 222,200; 6. AUSTRALIA        - 218,000

* Best individual gymnast in all-around competition was the winner of the last Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (October 2018), the Japanese Takeru KITAZONO, who dominated the competition with 83,700 points, the best on four apparatus and he beat the US local hero Colt WALKER (80,050) of Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics relegated to second place, followed by two more Japanese juniors ...:


►► Detailed AA results
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** The sad and deeply moving story of the RD761 Cup
 - by Mary Sheni, Business Manager; Fun & Fitness Gymnastics

The 'RD' stands for Ricky Deci. Ricky was a 13-yr old former U.S. Jr National Team member, who trained at our gym (we were formerly Champion Gymnastics).
After a practice session for Championships at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Oct. 2001, Ricky dismounted from pommel horse and collapsed. His heart simply stopped due to an electrical malfunction.
Despite immediate medical efforts to revive him, he passed away in his coach's arms, the man who also owns our gym, Hideo (Mizo) Mizoguchi. Coincidentally, Ricky and Mizo share the same birthdays. The '761' was to be his athlete competition number at Championships.
Since 2002 we have hosted the Ricky Deci Invitational (now known as RD761):
- a competition for gymnasts of all levels and ages. The competition helps support the Ricky Deci Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarships and developmental training camps for talented gymnasts from all across the United States.  Four years ago we added the Jr. International Team Cup competition.

♦ Here is a video that will allow the unforgettable to 'meet' Ricky ...:

I have personally worked on the meet since 2004; it is an event very dear to the hearts of those affiliated with our gym.
Many professionals and volunteers work tirelessly each year to make it a success.
We are looking forward to the athletes of Europe honoring us once again in 2020, by participating at the next RD761 Jr. International Team Cup, Jan 17-18, 2020.
Mary Sheni