We enter the stadium through a separate entrance from the horde of spectators waiting in line. We have a small team; aside from Sunlissia and I, thirteen-year-old Greesatina Swirl is Niche’s only other elite-level gymnast. Greesatina is Coach Trili’s niece.
We start on the Bars with Andon Gymnastics. There are just two of them. I don’t pay much attention. Andon is known for having terrible form, even though they have the fanciest leotards I’ve ever seen. We wear green tank leotards, because Coach Trili thinks it shows off our muscles. I think my butt is hanging out. I always adjust it before I start my routine, because if I adjust it during, that’s a tenth deduction. There really isn’t a chance to adjust my leotard during a bar routine, anyways, since my hands are always on the bar or about to catch the bar. I giggle.
“What’s up?” Sunlissia asks me.
“Can you imagine picking your wedgie during a release?”
“Really, Ktine? That’s what you’re thinking about?” Sunlissia shakes her head. “Go focus. That’s what I’m doing. I want to make that World team.”
Sunlissia has a point, but if I think about my routines too much, I tend to mess up on them. No one understands that.
But my Bar routine is fine. I probably had a few form breaks, but nothing major. I cheer on Sunlissia. Bars has always been her best event, but especially now, since she was out all last year after tearing her ACL. She has two Continental medals on Bars, one of them gold.
We go to Beam next. Coach Trili tells me to cheer on the other gymnasts, to support them. I think they’re doing just fine, but I obey. Mom is our other coach, and I don’t want her to yell at me.
I fall off on my standing Arabian. Oh well. It’s not like I’d ever be chosen to compete all-around at the Worlds, anyways. I typically compete two of the other three events. At Worlds last year, I competed Bars and Floor.
Floor goes much better. I like my music. It gets me all pumped up. I also like dancing. I get to go last for Niche, because my routine is the best. I have a double layout punch front in there, and some other tricky passes.
We go to Vault next. I land both vaults, a Yurchenko double twist and a front handspring twist. They score well, but they aren’t as difficult as what some of the other gymnasts are probably doing. Still, I’m the only Niche gymnast to compete two vaults. Greesatina has been training two, but she only competed one. Given how nervous she’s looked, it’s probably best.
We have another day of competition the very next day. This is my third nationals—I was injured one year—so I’m used to this grueling weekend. I think. I’m still nervous.
We start on Beam. Not a great place for nerves, but I manage to stay on. The rest of the competition goes okay. I fly out-of-bounds on Floor and take a lot of steps on my Vault landings. I am very glad once I land my dismount off the Bars and I’m done. I love flipping around. I don’t like the pressures of competing.
Sunlissia and I sit near my cousins. Tyanna and Reana rehash the competition with us. Lilly ignores us, so I make bunny ears over her head until she slaps my arm away. I guess I deserved that.
I place fourth on Vault and ninth on Bars. I don’t place on Beam. Sunlissia ties with Tyanna to win Bars and comes in third on Beam. She places eighth on Floor. I place sixth. We stand next to each other on the evens side of the podium. Tyanna is on my other side. Elila wins—she, Erena Nato, and little cousin Lilly have been taking most of the medals.
I don’t place in the all-around. Erena wins, followed by Sunlissia, then Lilly. Some of the other gymnasts in the top ten are also too young. Only one of us won’t make it to Trials, and I didn’t have any falls.
Caroleta, the head of the national program, announces the gymnasts who will make it to the next step. “From Kry National Gymnastics, Reigning Continental and National Champion Erena Nato. From Niche Gymnastics, Sunlissia. From Volcano Gym Reds, Elila Orro. From Lousat National Gymnastics, Tyanna lya Azon. From Lousat National Gymnastics, Lee Nalanina. From Volcano Gym Reds, Tara Tlaer. From Niche Gymnastics, Ktine lya Azon.” See? I wasn’t worried. “From Lousat National Gymnastics, Reana lya Azon. From Lousat National Gymnastics, Zolienne Aldache. From Volcano Gym Reds, Erie Latte. From Andon Gymnastics, Anna Eltskee. From Volcano Gym Reds, Risa Nevo. ”
I march in my Niche warmups, following Reana. This I can handle. I wave to the crowd and act all proper and polite.
“In reserve are Ellina Renae, Lousat National Gymnastics and Karena Aee, Lousat National Gymnastics,” Caroleta says.
Richenda 