Jump Start (9 page)

The following Saturday was the big day. Gym comps but not just any gym comp:
the
gym comp, the State Finals. Emma and the girls in her squad had practised all year for this competition and now here it was.

The gym stadium was packed to capacity with gymnasts, their coaches and the family and friends who had come to support them. And on a table, on the far side of the stadium, stood the trophies and medals, shining, waiting to be awarded.

The girls in Emma's gym squad were going through their warm-up with Lauren. They were wearing their competition leotards and they looked fabulous. It was a lilac colour with a beautiful, glittery starburst shooting across the front and down the top of the long sleeves. Finally, for the finishing touch, all the girls in the squad had done their hair the same way—high pigtails with lilac elastics and a deep lilac ribbon.

‘Our leos are the best, don't you think Em?' said Hannah. ‘If they were judging on leotards, we would medal for sure.'

Emma smiled at her friend and they gave each other an excited hug. They were ready.

First up was the floor routine, then vault and bars. Emma, Hannah, Nema and Isi, the fourth member of the squad, all moved through their routines strongly. Each of them did the best routine they had done all year and Lauren was confident that the girls would score well. They were in with a real chance for a medal. With only one rotation to go, you could feel the excitement in the stadium.

It was time for Emma's squad to do their beam routines. Nema went first and did well with only a few wobbles as she did her handstand. Even though she had done a good job, Emma could tell Nema was disappointed.

‘Good job Nema,' said Emma. ‘Don't worry about the handstand, your dismount was great.'

‘
You
might not worry about the handstand but I do,' sniffed Nema.

‘Don't worry about her, Em,' whispered Hannah. ‘She's just angry at herself. Look, Isi is about to start her routine.' Hannah turned back towards the beam and cried, ‘Go Is!'

Isi did the best routine she had done all term and all the girls cheered. Then it was Hannah's turn. Hannah almost flew onto the beam and skipped through the routine, smiling all the way. This time she didn't fall off and straight after a perfect dismount, she bounced over to her squad and high-fived everyone, even a reluctant Nema.

So far the squad had done well, really well. And now it was Emma's turn.

Emma sprang on to the beam and swung into action. She completed the first half of the routine smoothly and strongly. She walked to the end of the beam and spun around, moving into position for the split jumps. The big jumps, the highlight of the routine.

Emma stopped for a moment, raised her arms and smiled. Then, almost without thinking, and with an enormous smile still on her face, she looked straight ahead, stretched her legs and leapt into the highest, strongest split-jump of the day. She followed up with another jump, just as high. She then almost glided into her handstand, which she held perfectly, before returning to stand at the end of the beam. She then ran to the other end of the beam and flipped off, on to the landing mat. Emma stuck the landing firmly on two feet. Just as she knew she would.

The audience broke into applause.

‘I did it,' said Emma to herself.

‘Way to go!' cried Hannah giving Emma a big hug. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper, ‘Show-off—again!'

For once Nema was lost for words, which was an unexpected bonus. She just stood by the beam, her mouth wide open in disbelief.

Lauren, normally a very calm person, leapt to her feet and cheered. ‘Emma Jacks, that was awesome!' she cried. ‘It was almost as if you had wings, you jumped so high. We will medal for sure now. Where did that all come from?'

‘From me,' said Emma, beaming, and then added to herself,
with a little help from EJ12.