Parkinson Fails To Advance At Nationals

PROVO -- Advancing to Nationals without her teammates, BYU gymnast Kelly Parkinson failed to advance to Saturday's NCAA individual event championships after falling on the balance beam Thursday in Athens, Georgia. Parkinson finished as a second team All-American on the vault, with a score of 9.85.

Parkinson, a second team All-American last year as well, had strong performances on the vault (9.85), floor (9.800) and bars (9.775), but the fall on the beam gave her a 9.150 and forfeited her chance to advance to the finals.

The fall on beam came when Parkinson over-rotated a triple back handspring. She also had a small mishap on the floor, where she normally scores a 9.900 or 9.950, when she tripped in the middle of her dance steps.

The junior gymnast will return next year to anchor a Cougar team that will lose only one senior from this year's team, a team that set numerous school records this season.