Senior four-time All-American Sarah Shire (Columbia, Mo.) competed in the event finals on vault and floor of the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships. Shire finished tied for second on floor and fifth on vault ending her collegiate gymnastics career and leaving as the most decorated gymnast in Missouri history.
On vault, each competitor was required to perform two different vaults for the six judges. The two vaults were averaged for the final score. Shire first competed a yurchenko laid-out full that scored a 9.8750. For her second vault, she competed a yurchenko half-on pike front off, which scored a 9.7625. Shire averaged a 9.8188 with the two vaults and finished in fifth pace out of 18.
In the floor finals, Shire nailed all her tumbling passes and smiled all the way through her routine to earn a 9.900 from the six judges. Her score put her in a tie for first for a short time but ultimately landed her an impressive second place finish. Shire tied with Brandi Personett of Penn State and fellow Big 12 competitor Hollie Vise of Oklahoma for the next-to-top spot on the podium.
Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA won the vault title with two impressive vaults that averaged a 9.925, while Brittani McCullough also of UCLA won the floor crown with a 9.9375.
Shire qualified to compete in the event finals after earning All-America first team honors on vault (9.925) and floor (9.900) in the team semifinals on Thursday. The Missouri native also received All-America second team honors on bars (9.875) in the semifinals.
Story courtesy of mutigers.com
