Kim still getting over illness
Senior Nina Kim was forced to miss the first Western regional final qualifier of her career this past weekend when she came down with the flu just 48 hours before the meet. Kim tried to overcome the illness to perform a bar routine, but in the hours leading up to the meet, the Texas native knew she would be unable to compete.
“It was hard,” Kim said. “Just because it was my last time at regionals, but it’s nice to have your team do so well. If they win, I win, so it’s all good.”
Kim said Monday that though her body was not as achy, she still had a fever.
The team had conditioning on Monday, which Kim did not take part in but the senior will look to get back into the swing of things today.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” said head coach Greg Marsden. “We’ll just have to build throughout the week and leave her next week to hopefully regain her confidence.”
Although Utah has managed to dodge the injury bug all season, it is that time of the year when colds and viruses tend to spread. Sophomore Gael Mackie had a similar bug last week leading up to regionals, but on the day of the meet, Mackie was feeling well enough to compete on vault (filling in for Kim), bars and beam.
Role players shine in Kim’s absence
Although senior Kristina Baskett won her eighth all-around competition of the season Saturday night, the most valuable performers of the night might have been Mackie and fellow sophomore Jacquelyn Johnson, alongside freshman Stephanie McAllister.
On short notice, the trio had the job of filling in for the Kim, who was not only Utah’s second-leading performer, but also the No. 6-ranked all-around competitor in the country.
Mackie filled in on vault and received her highest score of the night8212;9.825. McAllister stepped up for Kim on both the floor and the beam and did so in an impressive fashion.
The freshman tied her career high on the floor (9.850) and nailed a 9.800 in her first ever beam routine as a Red Rock.
It was Johnson who was called on to fill in for Kim on the bars.
Johnson had only competed for count once during the whole regular season, and that was back in February when Utah traveled to Utah State and Johnson preformed on the floor scoring a 9.775.
Johnson showed no signs of rust or nerves Saturday when she landed a 9.825 in her first bars routine for Utah.
“(Jacquelyn) really took that opportunity and made it count,” Kim said. “She did the best she could and it was awesome to see her take that chance and use it to the fullest.”
Utah hitting its stride just in time
In gymnastics, it’s important to be peaking at the right time and that is exactly what Utah is doing. Although anyone would be hard-pressed to say the Red Rocks have had a “poor” meet, it seems Utah has been saving the best for last.
Utah has been on a roll over the past month, setting season highs on every event except bars.
The Red Rocks had arguably their best meet of the season in their regular season finale against BYU, when Utah set season highs on vault, floor and the all-around.
In the first seven meets of the season, Utah only managed to break the 197.00 mark one time. Since then, the Red Rocks have rattled off five straight meets where they have managed to break the 197.00 barrier.
Tyler CobbNina Kim was unable to compete at the NCAA West Regional due to illness but is looking ahead to the National Championship. However, her absence allowed other gymnasts to step up in her place.