HUNTINGTON — Gymnast Kayla Williams of Huntington competes for a world vault title Saturday in London.

Williams, 16, qualified for the vault finals at the World Gymnastics Championships with the top score Wednesday in the preliminaries.

Only six months, ago the Huntington High junior was a Junior Olympic gymnast. Look at her now.

“It’s crazy,” Williams said in a report by The Associated Press. “It would definitely be easy to get swept up and realize this is the world championships. But I’m taking it like a regular meet. It’s the same events, the same skills.”

Williams posted a score of 14.812 in vault qualifying to beat everyone, including runner-up Hong Un Jong from North Korea, the 2008 Summer Olympics gold medal winner.

She just missed qualifying for the finals in floor exercise, placing ninth, and is the first reserve for Sunday if one of the top eight withdraws.

If Williams’ experience Wednesday sounds strangely familiar, it is. Alicia Sacramone followed a similar pattern at the 2005 world championships, winning the title on floor and a bronze on vault. She went on to become a staple of the U.S. team that won the 2007 world title and the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.

“The 2012 Olympics, of course it’s always in the back of my mind,” Williams said. “For now, I’m going to focus on one step at a time.”

The 2009 world meet is being held in O2 Arena, the same venue that will hold the 2012 Olympics.

Webcast/TV schedule
Live Webcasts of the World Gymnastics Championships are Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8 a.m. on www.universalsports.com. Kayla Williams from Huntington competes in the vault finals Saturday.
NBC Sports will have taped coverage of the London event Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.

 

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