A couple of excerpts from a long interview:
How was competing in Hawaii?
We were definitely not in routine shape yet so we went out there to have fun and it was definitely the funnest meet I’ve competed in, probably in my whole life. The routines were easier so it wasn’t as stressful and it was awesome to go out there and have fun. And being in Hawaii, it was beautiful so that was cool too. We got to travel with our parents and we were there for a week so we got to go to the beach and go to Pearl Harbor and the North Shore.
At that meet, you debuted the Tweddle-Ezhova (straddle back 1/2) while at Nationals you did the Tweddle-straddle back. Has that been the plan all along?
That’s what I’ve been working on at the gym and that’s what I’m hoping to have in my routine at camp. When I first learned it, I was working the straddle back 1/2 but as meet season came along, it wasn’t ready yet so I just went back to the straddle back. We were planning on working the straddle 1/2 back after Worlds because it’s bonus if you do the 1/2 but it’s not if you do the straddle back.
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What are your short and long term goals? Are you thinking about Rio 2016?
My goals for this year are to make the Italy meet and then the Pacific Rim and my goal is to make it to Worlds this year. Long term – I’m just taking it one year at a time and then I’ll decide what to do once it comes around.
It’s my senior year this year. I’m going to defer college to try for Worlds this year and then I’ll decide what to do next year. 2016, yeah, I’m not sure yet.
You’ve committed to the University of Oklahoma for NCAA gymnastics. How did you pick it?
I didn’t want to go too far from home. I wanted it to be driving distance so I visited a few schools that were close. I really like KJ and Lou. They were really nice and they made me feel like they really wanted to me to be on their team. I really liked the atmosphere and, from the people who I know that go there, I heard nothing but good things about it so I’m really excited to go.
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