I moved to stand behind the taped white line and then stepped back another foot, needing the extra momentum.
Kova was right. I needed to reset my focus. Adrenaline surged through my body as I rolled my toes under me until they cracked, a nervous habit of mine. I raised my arms to salute the judges, then zeroed in on the vault and leaned up on the tips of my toes.
I got this.
I took long strides, building up the power, and envisioned myself flipping over the vault and completing the two and a half twists cleanly.
Fingers spread wide on the floor, I turned my roundoff over, and feet slamming into the springboard, I rebounded backward and reached for the horse to block as hard as I could. Pain ripped through me, but Kova was right. I had worked too hard for it to fall apart now.
Rebounding off with as much force as I could grasp, I soared through the air as tight as I could, twisting and rotating at the same time.
Everything I'd learned from Madeline and Kova flashed through my mind.
I could hear them whispering in my ear where to open up, and I listened, hoping the blind landing was perfect.
The arena came into view as my feet met the blue landing mat. A gush of air exploded from my lungs as I raised my arms to salute the judges. No hop. No bent legs. Just a perfect, stuck landing. The crowd erupted as fans cheered on. From the corner of my eye, I could see Kova's excitement as he clapped his hands and yelled.
Heart racing, I blinked repeatedly…and smiled.
I landed and I stuck my vault!
Stepping off the floor and down the steps, I wasn't even thinking when I ran into Kova's arms. It was so automatic and what we'd always done—what so many coaches and gymnasts do. He picked me up and squeezed me to him. Feeling how proud he was of me made me feel so damn good. That told me I'd done my job correctly.
"Magnificent!" he said in my ear, then put me down. Kova high-fived me. My heart bloomed with happiness. "There is the focus you need. That was flawless and what everyone knows you are capable of."
All I could do was smile at him. "Thank you," I said, keeping my voice low, only for him.
"Boy, you had me worried there for a second, Adrianna." Madeline approached us, her eyes twinkling. "That first vault was so unlike you, but this one had your name written all over it. Good job."
I grinned at her. "Thank you," I said when the crowd erupted again.
The three of us turned around to glance up at the scoreboard knowing that was the reason for the cheering. My score had been posted and there was only a third of a tenth deduction.
My eyes widened in shock at the nearly perfect. Madeline tugged me into a quick hug, said a few things to Kova, then walked away. I felt like she was always on the run going somewhere.
Without a worry of who was watching us, Kova stared down at me with a tenderness that synced my heart with his. There was so much love and pride in his eyes that I could hardly handle it. Words weren't always needed to show someone that you cared for them. Sometimes just a look said enough.
One side of his mouth lifted into a crooked smile. My cheeks blushed and I glanced down.
"Come. Let us wrap your arm. It is not going to bring a miracle to you, but it will help a little bit."
"I'll take anything at this point."
"I will work it out with each rotation as much as I can, but expect some pain."
I followed Kova to the seating area where he conditioned my arm, then applied the stretchy sports tape. My fingers weren't as numb, and I was glad about that since I had bars next. I had read online numbness was a cause of nerve damage associated with dislocations. I hoped that wasn't the case, and that this stinging ache that never seemed to go away was because I hadn’t allowed myself enough time to heal properly and nothing more.
"Prepare to rotate. I will be back shortly."
Seventeen
"Get the white tape."
I dropped my bag and rummaged through it. I handed the tape to Kova. He began wrapping my wrists for added support and laced some of my fingers with tape too. He applied another layer of tape to my injured arm, saying it may help with the straining. Once he was finished, I took over and slipped on my wristbands and grips then buckled them. Flexing my fingers, I shook my hands out.
"Good?" Kova asked, and I nodded. "Go chalk up."
I turned around and walked over to the stand holding the bowl of chalk and submerged my hands in it. I powdered my inner thighs and then the tops of my legs. Bars was another specialty of mine and one that I usually medaled in. I was confident, but still I visualized my routine and focused solely on that. I sprayed water on my palms, then glanced over at Kova who was spraying the bars with water and then rubbing them down with chalk for me. It provided an added grip. It wasn't something we did often but given how the inside of my elbow was stinging, Kova wasn't going to take a chance.
I walked over to him and eyed the high bar where he applied the chalk.
"Do you want me to spot you?"
"Yes."
"Strong core and stay tight," he said. "Drive your heels way down on the first tap and then drive them again just before the release." I nodded furiously, adrenaline spiking my pulse. I was getting excited to perform. "Hollow through the swing." He instructed by imitating what I needed to do and pointing to his chest. "Just a little longer, then drive to initiate the rotation."
"Got it."
"Straight lines. Stick your handstands. This is your event, Ria. Do not let anyone take it from you. Own it."
Kova clapped my back and then moved to stand parallel to the uneven bars. Piling on a bit more chalk, I blew on my palms and a cloud of white dust appeared before me. I stepped in front of the low bar with my foot pointed in front of me and shook my fingers out. I met Kova’s eyes to center my balance, and I inhaled, pulling the air deep into my stomach, then exhaled.
The bell sounded. He dipped his chin.
It was go time.
Mounting the low bar, I did a kip cast to a handstand and let muscle memory take over. I performed my heart out, free flowing from bar to bar in my own element, making sure I stuck my handstands and I had clean lines. As I geared up to release to the low bar, Kova stepped into the side and put his arm out to spot me.
Gripping the bar tightly, chalk dust floated in my face as I came down swinging into another kip, then to a free hip circle before I let go and twisted backward to reach for the high bar. I moved quietly, flowing freely into a handstand. I stuck it, then fell backwards, rotating with only one arm—my bad one—and held on for dear life as I swung around the bar to stick my handstand. This was a skill worth more points than most and it had to be executed perfectly to get the value for difficulty, otherwise it would be all for nothing. My fingers gripped the bar while I gritted my teeth from the strain in my ligaments.
Kova took another step closer to spot me as I completed a pirouette. I rotated my hands once more before I fell forward, tapping into a giant, then tapping again like Kova said to, and reached for my release.
I whipped my hips for momentum to take flight and flew backwards in a pike position, reaching for the bar. My heart stopped for a split second as my toes glided past the bar and I came down. Kova made a fist and pumped it in excitement, then moved out of the way and back to the waiting area so I could complete my routine. I had two more releases that took my breath away before I was circling the high bar to complete two giants. I'd worked on this dismount long and hard with Kova to know when I had to release.