After yet another week in school (four down, eight to go!!), I sat down today to watch the conclusion of the men's competition at the VISA Championships. This competition where USA's best gymnasts gather to compete, where national champions are crowned, and where national teams are named. Being 2011, making the national team at this stage opens many doors because then you can be selected to represent the country in major competitions around the world, allowing you to gain valuable experience heading into the olympic year.
There were three former Stanford gymnasts at the meet this year: Sho (2009), Alex (2011), and Ryan (2011). After two days of competition, Sho and Alex were named to the national team. Sho has been climbing back up after tearing his ACL in a competition a couple of years ago and Alex was coming off a team NCAA championship and an individual high bar title. Both are very successful gymnasts and this is a really exciting step in their journey to 2012. Here's an interview with Alex after the competition was over: Alex makes National Team! He talks about the mental game and how he's been able to really focus in and refine his skills in that area. Obviously it's paying off and I couldn't be more excited for the opportunities he has in front of him (Sho as well). It just goes to show what hard work, dedication, and never letting go of your dreams can do for you.
In other news, this weekend is busy with schoolwork and the time will continue to fly by quickly. I got some much needed rest last night so I'm feeling a little rejuvenated and ready to tackle everything that's in front of me. It was a hard week with some frustrations, but it wouldn't be fun if it was all easy...right?
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