LEVEL 8 State Championships, HARTFORD  CT.  April 10, 2005

The Level 8 State Championships for 8-11 Year Olds always is an intense competition between some of Connecticut’s biggest stars.  The gymnasts are always working hard for successes at this prestigious meet, which usually contains the most talented young gymnasts in the state.  This year’s State Championships did not disappoint.  It was a hot competition between 6 or 7 of the best.

Mollie arrived, and with a new calm swagger, began warming up.  She knew that the best gymnasts from NEGX, Arena, and Zero Gravity would be strong.  She also knew that this year, she had trained hard, and knew how to win. 

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But her meet was shaken right from the start when a fall from the balance beam put her behind the eight ball.  Even with a fall, Mollie scored an 8.9.  Not a bad score with a fall, but she knew that to even place in the top ten, she would have to be incredible for the rest of the day.

Mollie moved to Floor Exercise, and just before her routine, watched a 9.65 Bar routine.  She was deeper in the hole.  But, she could come back, and that would be her plan.  A great routine on the floor, Mollie came up with a 9.525, and would end up winning the event.  Mollie was energized, and moved to the vault.  

On Vault, Mollie’s piked Tsukahara would turn heads, and after seeing half of the field already, the judges’ eyebrows raised during warm-ups.  Mollie looked solid, but how high would she fly?  The answer came quickly, and despite being unable to stick her landing, Mollie scored a 9.5, putting her in the lead, over everyone else.  With one event to go, Mollie hoped to hang on.

There were a lot of hit beam routines on the other end of the gym, one of them scoring a 9.125.  Then, the one gymnast scored a 9.3 on the beam, and it was clear that two gymnasts would duke it out for the State Title.  Mollie took to the bars, and despite a mediocre warm-up, she hit her routine.

Perhaps a little short of a handstand on one cast, and with a small step on the landing, Mollie chalked up a 9.05.  Her All Around was now 36.975, and she was proud of the way she came back.  She was the first of the top gymnasts to finish her meet.  Now, it was a waiting game. 

Quick calculations told the coaches that there was one gymnast in the meet with a chance to beat Mollie, and that a score higher than 9.3 on the Floor Exercise would push Mollie to second place.  Everyone in the gym knew that this gymnast was more than capable of that on the floor exercise.  When the routine was over, the judges turned the score flasher, and a 9.5 showed.

Mollie settled for second place in the state, several tenths above any other contenders, and despite starting the meet with a fall, Mollie proved that she was a warrior on the competitive floor.  She moves on to the Regional Championships on April 30, where she plans to be stronger, faster, and better!

Also of note, Tia finished off her final competitive season with a 33.15 in the All Around.  A graduating senior, Tia overcame several obstacles at her State Championships, including, finally, a bar routine that she had waited months to compete.  Gymnastics Revolution is sending a very competent young woman to Brandeis University next year, and Tia will be missed.  However, our loss is the world’s gain, and we look forward to seeing her develop into the adult that she will become.  Good luck, Tia!