The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

6 - Friday, September 28, 2012

Mikulak earns namesake gymnastics skill

Pommel horse skill,
the "Mikulak," will
be added to the FIG
Code of Points
By COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Writer
For junior Sam Mikulak,
becoming the 10th Michigan
men's gymnast ever to partici-
pate in the Olympics just wasn't
enough to solidify his name in
the history books.
As of Sept.14, Mikulak's name
is permanently in the books, just
as planned.
The International Gymnas-
tics Federation released its Code
of Points two weeks ago, with
the "Mikulak" as one of three
pommel horse skills named
after gymnasts.
The "Mikulak" is a double-
scissor travel with a sideways
hop from one end of the horse to
the other, and is a 'D' skill on the
scale from A to F, with F being
the most difficult. It is one of the
most difficult scissor skills on
the pommel horse, as no other
scissor skills have a rating high-
er than D.
"When I first invented the
skill, which was a year ago, it
was more of just a battle to make
sure no one saw it and tried
competing it on a world stage,"
Mikulak said.
"I survived that, and when I
went to the Olympics, we regis-
tered for a submission of a new
skill."
Mikulak knew that he'd be
competing the skill on the pom-

tics Championship in Tokyo, but
he suffered an ankle injury and
wasn't 'able to compete. Now,
the parallel bars skill has been
dubbed the "Sasaki."
But that setback didn't upset
Mikulak at all, he said.
Last November, Mikulak
began developing his new skill
on the pommel horse. He said*
he knew that he was improv-
ing at pommel horse - an event
he would have to compete well
on to make the'Olympic team
- so he took a simpler skill and
"amped it up," adding an addi-
tional move to make it his own.
"It's nice I could
get my name in
the books for
real this time."

Junior gymnast Sam Mikulak practices in Ann Arbor in late July, just before he left for London to participate in the 2012 London Olympics.

mel horse for Team USA during
the men's qualification round
at the 2012 London Olympics,
so he had to complete the skills
with no flaws.
"I went out, competed it, and I
didn't fall on it, which was good,
because if I had, it wouldn't be
my skill," he said. "I was told
once I competed it, it was pretty
much officially my skill. Once

it finally was announced that
it was going to be named after
me, it was more of a relief (and)
excitement that my name is
going to be remembered in the
history books of gymnastics."
But that wasn't the first time
Mikulak tried to have a skill
named after him. He previ-
ously tried to get a parallel bars
skill named after him a year

ago. Mikulak began working on
the skill - a front one-and-a-
quarter to a long hang - in col-
legiate and international events,
but there was another gymnast,
Sergio Sasaki from Brazil, who
saw it performed and started
working on it, as well, some-
thing Mikulak said was "just a
coincidence."
At an international meet in

Puerto Rico, M
ki both perforr
parallel bars.
the skill to bec
it must be perf
event and FIG
nize that comp
event.
The nextc
would have to
was at the 2011

"I figured it out on my first
day," Mikulak said.
"I figured the value would
increase since it's actually a lot
more difficult than the original
PATRiCK BARRON/Daily skill."
A month before the Olympics,
likulak and Sasa- Mikulak's coaches submitted
med the event on the petition to have the skill
But in order for added to the Code of Poinca. His
ome a namesake, coach, Kurt Golder, received the
ormed at a world confirmation call last week and
3 did not recog- now Mikulak's name will be in
etition as a world the books permanently.
"After overcoming (the paral-
chance Mikulak lel bars) battle, it's nice I could
perform the skill get my name in the books for
1 World Gymnas- real this time," Mikulak said.

JOIN DAILY SPORTS
E-MAIL US AT SPORTS@MICHIGANDAILY.COM
AND COME ON IN FOR A SPORTS STAFF MEETING
EVERY SUNDAY AT 5 PM AT 420 MAYNARD
LIKE MICHIGAN FOOTBALL? THEN YOU'LL LIKE OUR FOOTBALL BOOK.
GET A COPY AT BOOK.MICHIGANDAILY.COM
f tC all:#7344418-4115
Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

Ofl

RELEASE DATE- Friday, September 28, 2012
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 6 "The Tenant of 44 Gossip morsel 53 "The Highway
1 It can keep a Wildfell Hall" 45 Down sources to India"
watch on you author Anne 46 First Nations tribe canal
6 Phi follower? 7 Seinelflower 47 Sting 55 "Tha's
10 Toakthe bs 58Addamsfamily 48 Chuckle relative terrible!"
14 French fry? nickname 49 Not worth 56 torch
15 Transportation 9 Toward shelter 49 Norwo 7 n
optian fy t tn a pedestal 52 Wprds ad 57 Cockneptaast
16 Cras kin 11 Haoeoan reproach, and a stonter
17 Quarrylfor Henrp oustanding loan hint to howathe 58 Ocular
VIll's cat? from four longest nuisance
19 Word in a boast 12 Durable fabric puzzle answers 61 Clavell's "_-
20 King of fiction 13 Evergreen shrub are formed Pan"
21 Martin Luther, to 18 Muddle
Pope Leo X ' 22 Risq p ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
23 European wine 24 Switsrrhplace A T L A S W H I P B O L D
26 Drdgeryot C A H AIpA E E
25 oquet 27 Prom nightstyle CtRASH wi E R F
26 Dutch exporter's 28 Maar E v E L E A 0 a MA N N A
loe? . 29Bugged? P L E B E F A L T E R
3ThesOlpmpic 30 Spot checker? M A T E D I N N 1 F0FR K
Astralis and 31 _-de-France AL0N0 B0NK
others 34 Melodramatic CLO NG BON K
33 Slippery moan CLOSINGARGUMENT
34 Pop-ups, often 35 Wine partner B A A L P O L A R
37HollywoodFVIP 36Wordwithpoppy S T 7 E L M I L L S S K Y Y
38"The Princeof ortop T O U P E E T O A S T
Tidesco-star 38 Zilch 0R N OT E RODE OL O
40 Bend ataarre 39Andean tuber R E I N S p R D 0 C TO R
41 LAPD section? 40 Amieor Tigere.g. M A C Y R I C E U S U A L
42 Pay staS uSbr. 428Roll ap
3Origamistape 43South Carolina S T E M I C K Y L I N D Y
44 New Orleans university xwordeditor@aol.com 09/28/12
campus sign 1 2 3 4 5 a 0 9 10 11 12 13
daring spring
bteak? 1ra15 10
47 Way up 1
50 Desperate
51 Horns in an a, 00
54 Fats in a lower
position t 23 24 25
59 Melville's 'grand,
ungodly, god-like2 27 2 2s 30 31
man" 32 33 34 35 3
60 Garbforaprivate
pupil? 3on3or3us400
62 wo after do
630Go like mad 4t a2 4
64 Pitched peectly
65It's pitche44 45 as
66 Strong arms 47 48 49
67 Racket
67akt 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 s58
DOWN
1 Formerfleet 59 so s1
QTense 6 36
3 Boorish
4 Siting on an n on6
5 Noncommittal
response 0y M2rtnuy-arntnnder 09/28/12
c)01TibunenoMeaics, Incn.

!NORTH CAMPUS 1-2 Bdrm. !
! Riverfront/Heat/Water/Parking.
! www.HRPAA.eom 996-4992!
!!LARGE CENTRAL
CAMPUS HOMES!!
www.nancylat.com 734 663-1370
(734) 332-600
, www.CarsonProperties.com
Now Leasing!
AVAIL FALL '13: 5 & 6 bdrm houses
www.joycea2.com or (610) 952-5269
or email louisbreskmanoogmailcomi
CENTRAL CAMPUS
6 and 7 bedroom houses
great furniture decor
ethernet and wireless
free laundry and parking
for rent NOW for May 2013
horvathproperties.con or call
(734) 972-7300

Junior forward Nkem Ezurike has already scored five goals in three Big Ten games this fall.
Ezurike, Wolverines gear up
for series vs. Iowa, Nebraska

0I

THESIS EDITING. LANGUAGE,
organization, fornat. All disciplines.
734/996-0566 or writeonCiserv.net
BUILD A BRAND while building
your resume! UD On Campus has im-
mediate opportunities on your campus
to promnote varioos natiornal brands no
your peers. 6-0 hr(s) /k. Paid intern-
ship. Contact Ifulton@ ucampusmedia.-
com or call 800-743-5556 x6137
STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM
Paid survey takers need in A2.
100% FREE to join. Click on Surveys.
SBARTENDINGS$ $300/DAY PO-
TENTIAL. No exp. nec., training
avail. AGE 18+ 800-965-6520x125

By ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA
Daily Sports Writer
Ranked for the first time
since 2005 and perched atop the
conference standings, the Mich-
igan women's soccer team (3-0
Big Ten, 9-2 overall) will look to
defend home turf against Iowa
and Nebraska this weekend at
the U-M Soccer Complex.
Friday's contest against the
Hawkeyes (2-1, 11-1-0) projects
to be the more difficult matchup.
Iowa streaked through its non-
conference schedule, scoring 30
goals and allowing just three.
Upon climbing into the national
polls at No. 25, the Hawkeyes
lost their first Big Ten contest to
Illinois - Iowa's only blemish so
far this season, as it rebounded
to win its next two conference
games.
Nebraska (2-1, 5-5-1) hasn't
experienced the same suc-
cess this year but is markedly
improved. The Cornhuskers
emerged from non-conference
play with a losing record, but
they won two of their first three
Big Ten games with their only
loss coming in double overtime
against Purdue.
Hosting a pair of unranked
teams this weekend, the Wol-
verines figure to be favored in

both contests. But Michigan
coach Greg Ryan stressed that
national recognition means lit-
tle this early in the season.
"Being ranked 22nd in the
nation doesn't mean you're bet-
ter than your next opponent,"
Ryan said.
Michigan's defense, which
has surrendered just four goals
all season, will face one of its
toughest matchups of the year
on Friday. Led by fifth-year
senior goalkeeper Haley Kop-
meyer, the Wolverines have
recorded five straight clean
sheets. To continue that streak,
they must slow down a Hawk-
eyes offense that not only leads
the Big Ten in shots, goals, and
victory margin, but has not been
shut out this year.
The back line will have its
hands full with Iowa forward
Cloe Lacasse. After leading the
Hawkeyes in scoring last year
with 12 goals, the sophomore
has already found the back of
the net 11 times this season. Lac-
asse ranks third in the country
in goals and fourth in points per
game (2.33).
The task won't get much eas-
ier against Nebraska. Led by a
talented group of underclass-
men, the Cornhuskers' offense
has taken 30 shots in two dif-

ferent contests. Sophomore
forward Mayme Conroy has
impressed this season with six
goals, and her height - 5-foot-9
- may produce matchup issues
for the Wolverines' relatively
small back line.
Although the Michigan
defense has garnered most of
the attention this fall, junior
forward Nkem Ezurike has
made a name for herself as well.
Ezurike scored five goals in the
Wolverines' first three confer-
ence games and was named the
Big Ten offensive player of the
week. Ryan attributed Ezurike's
fast start to the performance of
the attacking unit as a whole.
"We have a lot of players that
can score goals," Ryan said.
"That actually helps her."
Eleven different players have
scored for the Wolverines this
season.
Ezurike and the Michigan
offense will face a stiff chal-
lenge against Iowa. The Hawk-
eyes' defense has surrendered
just seven goals all season and
features reigning Big Ten co-
freshman of the week Meg
Goodson. But Ryan wasn't too
worried.
"If we play the way we want
to play, the goals will come," he
said.

9

i

t

A

I