The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: RICHARD HAMM Grace Taylor lands her balance beam performance Friday at the NCAA Championship at Stegeman Coliseum. She won an individual title Saturday for her 9.950 balance beam routine. [Click to enlarge]

After Friday's Super Six title, the Gym Dogs took home two more NCAA National Championships Saturday, as Grace Taylor won the balance beam and Courtney McCool won floor exercise in the individual event championships.

Multiple Gym Dogs won National Championships for the first time since 1998, when Kim Arnold, Jenni Beathard and Karin Lichey captured individual titles.

McCool scored a 9.9625 on floor, receiving perfect 10.0s from two of the six judges and scores of 9.95 from the other four.

"Floor's just been so much fun for me this year," McCool said. "I really feel like I came into my own this year because of my teammates, my choreographer and my coach. It was just an amazing opportunity that I had, and I felt great out there."

As McCool was finishing her routine, Taylor was preparing to go on the balance beam, where she scored a 9.950.

Taylor credited McCool's performance for giving her the boost she needed on beam.

"Iron sharpens iron, and she makes me better," Taylor said of McCool.

"When I saw her out there having so much fun, it just kept that so fresh in my mind how fun gymnastics is."

"Fun" was the key word for Saturday's competition. After two stressful days of team competition, the individual championships were a chance to put off two days of fatigue for a more relaxing evening.

"I know that all the athletes that competed the first two days and came out [Saturday] were tired," Taylor said. "We left it all out on the floor [Friday] night and came back and said, 'Where is it?'"

The Gym Dogs were able to find it, despite the lack of sleep thanks to Friday's post-championship party at the Georgia Center.

"[Saturday] was mind over matter because you're tired, but this is your moment, the last day of the year where you really get to shine."

Continued...

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