Bluffton's connection to the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics

From left: Durand Dudley, Misha Kustin, Alex Yoder, Alan Yoder

What are the chances of two grandparents from Bluffton both having grandsons in the 2012 Men's USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Championships in Downtown Cincinnati May 8 to 13?

Well, it happened.

Alex Yoder, grandson of Alan and Diann Yoder of Sunset Drive, Bluffton, and son of Mike and Rebecca Yoder, Indianapolis, competed there. So did Misha Kustin, grandson of Durand Dudley, 807 Red Maple Court, Bluffton. Misha's parents are Jane and Boris Kustin of Bloomfield, N.J.

Yoder, a freshman at Northpoint High School, Indianapolis, trains at the Indianapolis School of Gymnastics and competes at level 10 (14-15 year olds). He is first team academic all-American with a 3.94 grade point average.

Competing in Cincinnati he was 25th all around on Saturday, May 12. After two days and event finals on Sunday, May 13, he was national champion on the pommel horse.

Kustin, a junior at Bloomfield High School's honors program, trains at Meadowlands Gymnastics Academy, East Rutherford, N.J. He competes at USA Gymnastics Level 10 (16-18 year olds).

He was among the Level 10 individual qualifiers and was rated 118th on Thursday, May 10.

He ranked 24th for high bar event in the individual qualifier's competition. He received honorable mention in the Academy All-American Athletes category.

In Level 10 all-around finals and individual event semi-finals he ranked 34th in the high bar event on Saturday, May 12.

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