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Kayla Williams (gymnast)

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Kayla Williams
Williams on the podium at the 2009 World Championships
Personal information
Full nameKayla Rose Williams
Country represented United States
Born (1993-05-08) May 8, 1993 (age 31)
Nitro, West Virginia
HometownHuntington, West Virginia
ResidenceTuscaloosa, Alabama
Height5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2009 (USA)
GymCincinnati Gymnastics Academy
College teamAlabama Crimson Tide
Head coach(es)Mary Lee Tracy
Medal record
Representing  United States
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 London Vault
NCAA Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Duluth Team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Los Angeles Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Fort Worth Vault

Kayla Rose Williams (born May 8, 1993) is an American artistic gymnast. She is the 2009 vault world champion and 2009 vault national champion.

Senior career

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Williams began 2009 as a Level 10 gymnast, which is below elite level in USA Gymnastics. In May 2009, she won the Junior Olympic National Championships in the all-around, vault, and floor exercise and won second on balance beam. She qualified to elite level at a meet in June.[1]

After qualifying for the U.S. Classic, she won the vault and floor exercise at that event and placed fifth in the all-around and on balance beam. This qualified her to the 2009 USA Gymnastics National Championships.[2] Williams was the first West Virginian since Mary Lou Retton in 1984 to compete at the U.S. Championships.[1] At the U.S. Championships, she won the National title on vault and made the U.S. National Team as a senior elite. Two months later, Williams was named to the team for the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

At the 2009 World Championships, Williams qualified first on vault. On the night of the vault event final, she competed a handspring laidout Rudi and a Yurchenko double full for a combined score of 15.087 and won the gold medal. She is the first American gymnast to win the World vault title.[3]

Collegiate career

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She retired from elite gymnastics in July 2010, but continued to compete in Level 10 and in the NCAA. In May 2010, she committed to compete for the University of Alabama gymnastics team.[4]

As a freshman in 2012, Williams helped lead Alabama to their second consecutive National Championship.[5] As a senior in 2015, she won bronze on the vault at the NCAA Championships.[6]

Personal life

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Williams attended Huntington High School.[7]

She graduated at the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in public relations in August 2014.[8] She is currently enrolled at Tulane Law School, and expected to graduate in 2023.

References

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  1. ^ a b Atkinson, Tommy R. (August 9, 2009). "Spot in nationals fulfills dream for Huntington gymnast". Charleston Gazette. Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  2. ^ Atkinson, Tommy R. (October 5, 2009). "Nitro native heads to world stage". Charleston Gazette. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  3. ^ "Williams vaults to gold at worlds". ESPN. October 17, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  4. ^ Traylor, Grant (May 29, 2010). "Williams going to Alabama". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
  5. ^ Atkinson, Tommy (July 22, 2012). "Olympic dreams swapped for NCAA title". The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Gymnasts Earn Individual Top-5 Finishes at NCAA Championships
  7. ^ Cline, Carrie (October 21, 2009). "Gold Medal Gymnast Kayla Williams Returns to School". WSAZ-TV. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  8. ^ "Kayla Williams Profile - ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE - University of Alabama Official Athletic Site". www.rolltide.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21.

Bozho's Gym Nest 1999-2009

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