biography     

On January 20th, 1979 a future Olympian was born. Sean Townsend was born in Temple Texas. Sean has an older sister named Tiffany, as well as 3 brothers. Althought, Sean's Brothers aren't REALLY his brothers, they do consider eachother brothers. When Sean was 6 years old, his mother walked out on the family. His fater was a truck driver and was never able to be home. Which is when Sean turned to gymnastics. Sean instantly fell in love with the sport as well as a new family. A young gymnast by the name of Todd Thornton was training at the gym where Sean was training and Todd's family became the legal guardians of Sean where he and his sister live. Seans rise to the top came in 1999 when he made the world championship team. About a year following the World Championships came the Olympic Trials for the 2000 Olympic Team. On the night of the trials Sean finished third and they announced the Olympic Team: "Morgan Hamm, Paul Hamm, Steven McCain, John Roethlisberger, Sean Townsend, Blaine Wilson, & Altranet Jamie Natalie" Sean had made it to Sydney. The USA Team had a 5th place finish for the men. Although it wasn't what they wanted, they did their best. After the excitement of Sydney Sean went on tour with the rest of the 'backflip boys'. After the tour came the 2001 American Cup, where Sean came as close as he could to toping 4 time champ, Blaine Wilson. At the French Telecom not to much later, Sean did top Blaine, by a lot! Then he lead his team to a victory at the 2001 American Team Cup in Hawaii. With a strained back at the 2001 Gym Jam, Sean was unable to compete all events. Sean looked on to the 2001 National Championships for it to be his turn for gold. With an injured Blaine the first new National Champion since 1995 would be crowned. Sean stood atop the medal stands with the gold medal around his neck that night. He headed onto worlds with his head held high. More history in the making, as Sean became part the first USA Team EVER to win silver as a team in the world championships. He then went onto the individual event finals where Sean was then crowned World Champion on the parallel bars!

In 2003, Sean was ready for things to happen, family wise, it wasn't going to happen. His foster mother, Cindy, became ill and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sean dropped everything to be at her side. "I’ll remember waking up in the hospital and seeing Sean sitting in my hospital room. He would just show up, out of the blue," Cindy said. (Houston Chronical). Sean and his brother learned a lesson that summer, when neither qualifed for the National Team. She continued by saying "For these two boys — for our whole family — we could have handled cancer and what happened to them at the 2003 championships negatively, but we didn’t. We’re very positive now on life, and our family is so much closer. It’s been a hard thing, but it’s been a blessing, too.". It was then that Sean knew it was time to commit to Athens.

He went into the 2004 Season with a whole new outlook on life. He was going to go to Athens, or so he thought. Sean started out with a bang, by winning 2004 Winter Cup, beating out national team members, Sean regained his spot on the team. He went on to prove that he could come back when he placed 3rd at the National Championships, after not even finishing the competition the year before. Sean qualifed to the Olympic Trials and finally to the selection camp that followed. When the Olympic Team was announced, Sean's name was not on it.

Weather Sean will continue training and look onto the 2005 World Championships, that is up to him, for now he has his wedding to look to, in January of 2005.

1995 - 2004 National Team Member
1999 World Team Member
2000 Olympic Team Member
2001 National Champion
2001 World Team Member
2001 Parallel Bar World Champion
2002 World Team Member/Medalist

Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Residence: Houston, Texas
Birth Date: Jan. 20, 1979
Birth Place: Temple, Texas
Age: 23
Club: Team Chevron - Houston
Coach: Kevin Mazeika
Hobbies: Playing pool, going out with friends
Began Gymnastics: 1988
Legal Guardian: Cindy Thornton

Favorites
Event: Vault
Food: Lobster (had it for the first time after olympic trials!)
Skill: First pass on floor (layout front full, front layout, double front)
Competition: American Team Championships
TV Show: Friends
Movie: Men of Honor
Music: Anything but country
Sport to Watch: Golf, Basketball, and he's a huge Dallas Cowboys fan!