Haleigh Bryant makes a triumphant return to all-around. LSU’s star gymnast has overcome a challenging elbow UCL injury to once again compete in the all-around, leading the Tigers to a narrow victory over Kentucky. This marked the first time this season that Bryant has participated in all four events. She achieved an impressive all-around score of 39.500, finishing just behind freshman standout Kailin Chio. Can she be consistent as the anchor of the team again? As Bryant approaches her final home meet against Georgia, her recent performances and heartfelt reflections indicate a strong finish to her collegiate career.
Speaking to NOLA.com, Bryant reflected on her physical condition and mental approach heading into the final stretch of the season. “Physically, yes, I think my body is in a really good spot right now.” Haleigh Bryant faced a major setback when she suffered an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in her elbow while vaulting during the Tigers’ Gymnastics 101 exhibition meet on December 16. In the Tigers’ 197.200-197.075 win at Kentucky, head coach Jay Clark strategically placed her in the anchor position for three of the four events: vault, bars, and floor.
Adding further, she said, “I do feel fresh and that’s a good thing going into the end of the season because that isn’t how it’s been in years past. The thing is to trust my gymnastics because I haven’t had as many numbers on some events. Just being able to turn my mind off, knowing I’ve done these routines so many times, just do my normal gymnastics out there and not try to press and be perfect every single time.” Bryant has only performed 17 routines this season, which is almost half if compared to last year’s Podium Challenge.
The story is developing…
The post Recovering From Gruesome Injury, LSU’s Haleigh Bryant Makes Heartfelt Confession Ahead of NCAA Gymnastics’ Career’s Last Home Meet appeared first on EssentiallySports.
