The Olympics are coming to Atlanta this July.
But Kelsey Stillinger of Monte Sereno got there a little early.
Stillinger was in Atlanta in May, but she was still competing in the Olympics--the Junior Olympic National Gymnastics Meet.
Stillinger, 14, nailed a second in the all-around at the Region 1, Level 10 Gymnastics Championships in Sacramento in April to earn a berth in the Junior Olympics in Atlanta May 3-5.
There were 448 top-ranked gymnasts competing in Atlanta, and Stillinger recorded a 9.575 on the balance beam to finish seventh in the 13-14 age group.
The Los Gatos freshman had finished fourth on the beam (9.5) and fourth in the floor exercise (9.425) on her way to a second in the all-around (37.175) in Sacramento. She was also fifth on the uneven parallel bars (9.25) and posted a 9.0 in the vault.
Stillinger competes for the West Valley Gymnastics School under the direction of coaches Mark Young and Diane Amos.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, May 22, 1996.
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