If it is indeed her only year to compete in high school gymnastics, Sami Jo Martin of Union certainly left her mark.
Martin, a freshman, led the all-around competition after three rounds at the Class 4A state gymnastics meet Friday. After struggling on the balance beam, she settled for eighth place.
“I didn’t come in with an ‘I’m-the-best’ attitude. I just came in here focusing on what I needed to get done,” Martin said. “I was confident. But this is my only year to compete in high school gymnastics. I knew I just wanted to go out there and have fun.”
Martin said her plan is to focus on club gymnastics in the future, even though she acknowledged she had a lot of fun this season with her high school team. The Titans likely will be trying to get her to change her mind.
After all, Martin shined throughout much of the morning session at the Tacoma Dome’s Exhibition Hall. She recorded the best score of the competition in the vault and second-best on the uneven bars.
Her name was listed first on the all-around board after three complete rounds. She said she did not know the scores and did not know where she stood when she was the last competitor on the balance beam.
“After I fell, I was really mad. I knew I had to finish strong,” she said.
Her struggles there dropped her to eight place — a testament to the quality of competition.
Martin will now go for individual event titles in the vault and bars. She will have company from Clark County in today’s finals.
Heritage sophomore Britni Atwell, who won the vault title last year and was the co-champion on the floor exercise, qualified to defend both titles. Her younger sister, Brooke Atwell, also qualified for the vault finals.
“I was just hoping to do the best I could today,” Britni Atwell said. “I think I did.”
The top eight scorers from Friday’s competition advanced to today’s finals. The top four in each event will earn medals.
Newport of Bellevue won the 4A team championship, edging Todd Beamer of Federal Way. Kristine Wong of Newport won the all-around title with a score of 37.3. Martin finished with a 36.025.
