Reno’s Jake Dalton, Las Vegan Cody Miller advance in Olympics

Reno native Jake Dalton helped the U.S. men’s gymnastics team get off to a strong start in Rio on Saturday.

Dalton advanced to the individual floor exercise finals with the second-best score of the preliminary round and helped the U.S. advance to the team finals with the second-best score.

Dalton’s score of 15.600 on the floor was bettered only by teammate Sam Mikulak, who put up a 15.800. Overall the U.S. had a combined 270.405 points, just behind China’s total of 270.461.

The U.S., with Dalton in tow, had the best qualification score at the 2012 Olympics but finished fifth in team finals. Japan won gold in London and entered Rio as favorites, but finished fourth in qualification at 269.294.

Dalton competed in every event except pommel horse and his second-best finish was 10th on the vault (14.633). He also took 15th on still rings (14.900), 21st on parallel bars (15.166) and 33rd on the horizontal bar (33rd).

Mikulak, considered Team USA’s top male gymnast, finished seventh in all-around qualifying with a 89.041.

Also advancing to Monday’s team final were Russia (269.612), Great Britain (268.670), Brazil (268.078), Ukraine (263.002) and Germany (261.518).

SWIMMING — Las Vegas native Cody Miller finished with the second-fastest time in the 100-meter breaststroke semifinals and advanced to Sunday’s finals.

Miller finished with a 59.05 and was second in his heat behind Great Britain’s Adam Peaty, who posted by far the best time of the semifinals with a 57.62.

American Kevin Cordes, swimming in the other semifinal, finished with the fourth-best time at 59.33.

Miller’s time is an improvement over the 59.26 he posted at the U.S. Olympic Trials, when he finished second behind Cordes. He was expected to be a medal contender in the event and now will receive a good inside racing position Sunday.