Kayla Williams-Without a Gym

I first watched Kayla a little less than a year ago at J.O. Nationals as she performed a stunning floor routine. She started with a double layout, moved onto a 2 salto pass of back 1 1/2 twist to a double pike, a frickin triple full for a side pass and ended with an equally difficult full in pike! At the time I knew she was an amazing level 10, but I never thought she would have the opportunity to go elite.

Less than a year later she is thrown into the elite world. In this day in age, a sixteen year old gymnast going elite is unheard of! Apparently, Steve Rybacki was the one who suggested that Martha Karolyi take a look at Williams skills. Otherwise, I doubt Martha Karolyi would ever have taken a gymnast who had already hit sixteen years of age.

Kayla went onto compete at the Covergirl Classic and then at the Visa Championships. Last October Kayla was chosen to compete on the world stage at the second most prestigious event next to the Olympics. She would compete with three other gymnasts from the United States and would become the first ever woman from the U.S.A. to win gold on vault with two sky high, flawless vaults at the World Championships!

Her story is an inspirational one that says, anything is possible!

Today I came across a sad article. After having some controversial issues between Kayla and her coaches, she is now in need of a new gym. She has been looking for gyms in the state of West Virgina where she lives but has been turned down again and again. At this point in time, she is still looking for a gym in West Virgina but she may have to settle at a gym outside of the state. Kayla has not been training for 2 months and if she hopes to be prepared for a national training camp in May, she better get her butt in gear and find a place to get herself back into top shape.

Good Luck to you Kayla! I would love to see you continue in elite gymnastics and eventually college gymnastics so keep your spirits up!

http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=47090.html#world+champ+williams+left+without

2000 Olympic Bronze medalist team is now USA...

It's official! The Chinese bronze medalists of the 2000 summer games have been stripped of thier bronze medal due to an underaged gymnast. This controversy should've been taken care of 10 years ago instead of now when we are still wondering about the age of the 2008 Chinese gymnasts. I wonder if it's going to take another ten years before any concrete evidence shows up about the 2008 Olympic team. Maybe there weren't any underaged gymnasts from the last games, but now that proof shows up that China was willing to cheat 10 years ago, why would we think that they wouldn't cheat in another Olympic games?

Dong FangXiou is the unlucky victim in this controversy. I loved her gymnastics and wish she didn't have to deal with a crime the government decided to impose on her. She was 14 at the time according to reports found. Here is a look into the life she faced as a gymnast under the Chinese system:



And might I add, she was a PHENOMENAL tumbler!

ACL's

Wow, there seems to be a lot of torn ACLs lately. First Mia Tabbutt's, then Ivana Hong's, and I just read in IGC that Shawn Johnson tore her's skiing?! I pray them all speedy recoveries.

On another note. Region 2 regionals is going on this weekend in Auburn, Wa! Come watch some awesome gymnastics! :)

Sorry this post is so short, but I have to get up early in the morning and that gives me like only 6 hours of sleep.

Night!

"Enlightenment is not for the weak of heart...Enlightenment is for the warrior."
-Ken Thorton