NORMAN — Entering the sixth and final rotation of the American Cup, Oklahoma sophomore gymnast Yul Moldauer finally allowed himself to look at the scoreboard.
He knew he'd been doing well, earning scores to keep him competitive with Rio silver medalist Oleg Vernlaiev. Until he looked at the scoreboard, however, he didn't realize that he was ahead of Vernlaiev by less than a point — .99 — and had been ahead of him for most of the day.
But the gymnasts were entering the high bar rotation, Moldauer's weakest element. Suddenly, a difficult task felt even more momentous.