There is no resting on laurels for Divine Reynolds.
After winning a second Ohio High School Athletic Association state championship of her gymnastics career, the Marion Harding sophomore will now compete with the best of the best in the United States.
Reynolds is the first female from Mid Ohio Gymnastics to compete in the USA Gymnastics Women’s Development Program National Championships. She travels to Oklahoma City May 6 and will compete May 10 in the Junior F division.
“Level 10 Nationals is a pretty big deal,” Reynolds said. “Not a lot of people make it. There are colleges there. They take it pretty seriously, but it’s more for the experience. I get to go spend the night in the hotel rooms with the girls. You have all this merch that they give you to represent Region 5. They try to make it big.”
She earned her spot by finishing seventh in her class at the Region 5 Championships in Columbus. Reynolds was fifth on the vault with a 9.6, seventh on the uneven bars at 9.025, seventh on the balance beam at 9.15 and 17th on the floor exercise at 8.65. She scored a 36.425 in the all-around to qualify for nationals.
“Most of them are the best of the best that I’m going up against,” she said of her fellow competitors who were born in 2009 between June 11 and Oct. 21. “Most of them are on an elite-type route. They’re trying to make it to the Olympics, or that’s their goal. Some of them are on a college route. It’s all types.”
Mid Ohio Gymnastics and Marion Harding coach Amanda Wilfong said she wants her athlete to gain experience and exposure at nationals.
“Just go do what Divine can do,” Wilfong said. “There are going to be kids there better than her. It’s a tough competition, but we’re happy she made it there. This is really hard to make. It’s not easy.”
Reynolds now a two-time state champion
Reynolds enters the nationals on another high note.
In March, she won the state championship on the floor exercise with a 9.675 and was the state runner-up on the vault at 9.65. She was sixth on the bars at 9.0 and ended fifth in the all-around with a 37.325, earning four All-Ohio nods.
Just to get to the state meet, Reynolds dominated the Central District by winning the vault (9.725), floor (9.65), bars (9.35) and all-around (38.2), while being the beam runner-up (9.475).
Put it all together and the state champ was an automatic winner for the Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month Award for Marion County girls in March for the second time. Last year she was the state titlist on the beam at 9.55, while also earning All-Ohio honors with a third on the vault (9.65) and a seventh in the all-around (37.15).
“I’m thankful. It’s a blessing. I never expect this to happen,” Reynolds said of the Fahey Bank Award. “There was a little pressure (at state) about trying to represent the school more than if it was out of high school. I put pressure on that, but it all worked out.”
Reynolds gearing up for Level 10 nationals
With a week until nationals, she’s working on her skills and adding to her routines with Wilfong.
“She comes in and busts her butt and does what she’s supposed to do,” the coach said. “Her family is a very good family work ethic-wise. She’s been in here since she was 5 years old. That teaches you a lot about work ethic and how to work through things and not give up.”
According to Reynolds, she’s trying not to stress too much worrying about the competition or the exposure to college coaches.
“She handles pressure pretty well. She doesn’t let one little thing mess her up. She can move on to the next event. She’s so good at that,” Wilfong said.
In other words, Reynolds doesn’t rest on her laurels.
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Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Harding’s Divine Reynolds wins a second Fahey Bank Award
Reporting by Rob McCurdy, Marion Star / Marion Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
