There is a giant-sized Olympic dream brewing inside the heart of a little sprite from Aiken named Grace Taylor.
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Taylor was the first South Carolina gymnast ever to compete in the United States championships and is about to take on the world. The 15-year-old will compete in her first international meet for the U.S. National Team.
She will leave for Houston, Texas, on Jan. 4 to train with other Olympic hopefuls at the renowned camp run by Bela and Marta Karolyi at the national training center for USA Gymnastics. The Japanese national team also will be training there in preparation for the Jan. 9 competition.
"The meet is really just a friendly competition, but it's still a real honor," said Taylor, a ninth grader who home schools to work around her extensive training schedule. "I'm more interested in impressing the national staff during the entire week, not just doing well in the competition."
With the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, less than eight months away, Taylor says her goal is to make an impression on the U.S. Olympic team selection commitee at the upcoming event.
The selection of gymnasts is now more subjective than ever as a result of resent changes to the competition format.
At the 2004 Games, each country's six-person team can have only two gymnasts compete on all four events. Taylor believes that helps her cause because she has excelled in her bar and beam routines.
A stress fracture in her wrist slowed her progress over the summer, but Taylor believes she can overcome that setback. She was listed in the December issue of Inside Gymnastics Magazine as one of the nation's top 32 Olympic hopefuls.
Taylor began her gymnastics career when she was 4, and has trained the past 11 years at Aiken Gymnastics.
In May 1999, the 4-foot-3 dynamo became South Carolina's first Eastern National All Around Champion. She also was the first South Carolina gymnast to win a Junior Olympic National title when she won beam with a score of 9.700 at the 2001 Nationals in Eugene, Ore.
Taylor qualified for the U.S. National Team when when she placed 8th at the American Classic in Indianapolis, Ind., in 2002.
AIKEN FOR ACTION: The City of Aiken Parks and Recreation Department is holding registration for the following sports:
Spring Coed Soccer Registration: Jan. 5-12 at Citizens Park II. Fees are $40 and a late fee of $10 after Jan. 12. Practices begin Feb. 3 and league play begins Feb. 25.
Spring T-Ball, Baseball and Girls Fastpitch softball: Jan. 26-Feb. 2 at Citizens Park II. Fee is $40 with a $10 late fee after Feb. 2. Practices begin mid-March to mid-April. League play begins mid-April.
Adult Coed Volleyball: Organizational meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Citizens Park II. Fees and rosters are due Feb. 17. Practices begin March 1. League play begins March 15. Fees are to be determined.
Adult Soccer: Organizational meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 4 at Citizens Park II. Fees and rosters are due by March 25. Practices begin April 12. League play begins April 26. Fees are to be determined.
Adult Spring Softball: An organizational meeting for men's and women's open softball leagues will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 2. Organizational meeting for men's and women's church softball league will be 7:15 p.m. March 2. Fees and rosters are due March 23. Practices begin April 5. League play begins April 19. Fees are to be determined.
Participants who live outside Aiken will incur additional fees. Memberships are available, which waive the out-of-city fees for one year. For more information, call (803) 642-7761.
Reach Rob Mueller at (706) 823-3425.
