Can't Miss Gymnastics

Rebecca Bross

"Gymnastics is on." I hear Mj yelling out to me while I am in the bathroom getting ready for my eye doctor appointment. Oh crap. How could I have forgotten about this? "I'm canceling my eye doctor appointment." Mj thought I was joking but I was serious. Without hesitation I went into the kitchen called up the doctor office and told them I couldn't make it and that I would call to reschedule. Then, I settled down to watch the American Cup for the next two hours.

I love gymnastics. It's my favorite sport in the whole world. It only comes on about 3 times a year and I wasn't about to miss this one. Mj has learned not to mess with me when my sport is on. He gave up the remote without me asking because he knew I absolutely would not tolerate flipping back and forth between channels on commercials.

Rebecca Bross won first place as expected. She may not have the artistry of Nastia Liukin but very few do. What she lacks in artistry she makes up in power, difficulty and consistency a la Carly Patterson. She narrowly missed being a World Champion last year and even though the Olympics is two years away she is expected to contend for the All Around title there. When you think about it she's actually next in line. In 2004 Carly won. In 2008 Nastia Liukin took the throne. What do these gymnasts both have in common aside from winning Olympic gold? Both trained at WOGA in Plano Texas and so does Rebecca. She is also trained by Nastia's dad/coach Valery Liukin. 2012 is really Rebecca's turn to win the Olympics when you think about the lineage of Olympic champions in her gym. She got to watch Carly and Nastia train their butts off, kick butt at the Olympics, and cash in on all of the wonderful rewards that come to those who win Olympic Gold. She probably wants it so bad for herself she can taste it. It seems as if it is her destiny to win it next and she is on her way. Carly and Nastia are among the many great gymnasts who have won the American Cup and now Rebecca is too.

So much pressure goes along with all that destiny but she is a solid competitor and if she stays injury free it can be hers. There are world class gymnasts all over the world training day in and day out for that very same goal. The competition will be fierce and destiny or not she will have to fight for it just like everyone else.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the competition even though I had to blow off my eye doctor appointment to do it. It's all about priorities.

UPDATE:  Rebecca Bross's Olympic Journey