Orem tumbler wins national championship

The 2009 U.S. Junior Olympic Trampoline and Tumbling National Championships were held in San Jose, Calif., on June 24-29, and Steven Gay of Orem emerged as national champion in the level 10 (ages 17 and over) tumbling division.

The six-day event featured competitions for both men and women in trampoline, double-mini trampoline and tumbling for levels 5-10 and synchronized trampoline for level 10.

Gay had previously been crowned state champion and region champion, and he defeated 13 competitors from across the nation in his category — some of them up to 30 years old.

At 19 years old, Gay has been competing in this discipline for five years. Two years ago, he placed second in the nation and, with his trophy this year, he is eligible to move up to the Elite Junior Class.

He faces a couple of issues, however, in order for this to happen. First and foremost, this specific sport is waiting to be sanctioned as an official Olympic event.

And secondly, perhaps more importantly to him, he is going to serve an LDS mission. After which time, when he returns, he is hoping his specialty will have become sanctioned by the Olympics, allowing him to pursue it at a higher level.

For now, there is not much going on in his specialty at the higher levels. And if he wanted to pursue gymnastics in college, he would have to convert over to one of the more traditional gymnastics disciplines.

His father, John, says that last year at nationals in Kansas City, Steven did not do well after having placed second the year before. But that gave them the opportunity to drive to Nauvoo, Ill., and it was on that trip in which Steven made the decision to serve a mission.

e-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com