Savannah Vinsant qualifies at Birmingham, all set for the 2012 London Olympic Games
The U.S. secured itself a trampoline berth in the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games after competing in the qualifiers held this week in Birmingham.
18-year-old, Savannah Vinsant represented the United States in the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships, held in Birmingham on November 17.
The senior elite gymnast attained high scores on both, the compulsory exercise as well as the optional one, totaling herself a score of 98.445 points and landing her in the 10th position in the overall results.
The qualifiers rule an allowance for not more than two athletes per country.
This same rule had brought Great Britain’s Kat Driscoll an elevated spot in the top eight, when four of the top eight qualifying gymnasts turned out to be Chinese
Vinsant ended up being the second of the two lucky gymnasts to be moved into the top-eight group.
Her compulsory routine obtained her a 45.595 from the judges while her voluntary routine fared even better with 52.850.
The U.S. team, comprising of Dakota Earnest, Nani Vercruyssen and Alaina Williams, reached a total of 287.865, and qualified for the team finals.
Earnest of Texas, who trains at Acrospirits came in 28th with 95.390 points. Vercruyssen from the Hawaii Academy, landed in the 35th place with a score of 93.800. Coming in 39th overall was the third team member, Williams,
with 92.770 points.
They came in fourth in the team finals the following day.
Having come in 14th with its 103.065 points, the men’s team from the United States was not able to gain a spot in the team finals held on November 18.
The country’s governing body for gymnastics, USA Gymnastics, announced on the same day that Vinsant will be sent for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
This will be another first for Vinsant after the 2010’s Youth Olympics where she became the first female representative of the Unites States.
“Right now my focus is primarily on making the Olympics. It is too close to not set it as my top priority,” Vinsant said.
Unlike when she was younger, practise has become a daily ritual for the star trampolinist in her quest for the Olympic achievements.
She has been under the able training of former world champion Dmitri Poliaroush since 2001, at the Tumbling and Trampoline Express.
“(Savannah) is very serious in the gym, always listening and making eye contact, because she is always determined to reach the top,” Poliaroush said.
It seems that Vinsant possesses skill and passion when it comes to gymnastics. As a child, she used to observe gymnasts at her dance studio with pure fascination.
Fans and enthusiasts back at home are hoping for her success in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
These Olympic trials have given Vinsant a heads up on the kind of tough competition she will be facing with contenders as talented as the Canadian and Chinese trampoline athletes.
Vinsant has cleared the Olympic qualifiers. What she makes of the opportunity she has gained is yet to be seen.
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