Boys gymnastics: Glenbard West's Le a state champion on parallel bars
Glenbard West junior Timmy Le thought he'd have a chance to take home a state title during Saturday's IHSA state gymnastics championship.
He just didn't think he would do it on parallel bars.
Le, who was one of the final competitors in the event, edged Palatine's Prakash Nigam, 8.9 to 8.85, to win his first state medal.
Le also medaled on vault, taking second with a 9.5. He placed seventh on floor and eighth on still rings.
"It feels great," he said after being mobbed by his teammates. "I wasn't expecting to get in the Top 5 because my start value wasn't up there really, but I was just really focused tonight."
DuPage County was well represented in the finals, especially from Glenbard West. Three of Le's teammates were qualifiers, including two who made it to the awards stand.
Senior Paul Bonokollie took second on pommel horse with a 9.45 and junior Frank Pham was third on still rings with a 9.0. Senior Gunnar Maddock also advanced on still rings, placing seventh.
Willowbrook sophomore Adam Sousa, who took fourth in Friday's all-around, was the lone gymnast in the state to qualify in all six events.
He didn't win a state title this year but was second on high bar with an 8.8 and third on vault with a 9.35. He finished outside of the Top 5 in the four other events.
"It could've gone better at state and I'm always looking to get some gold medals, but it is what it is," he said. "What a weekend. I'll take some time to regroup, get back to training and try to get better for next year."
Wheaton co-op senior Lucas Cooperman, who has been battling injuries, was running on adrenalin. He tied for third on parallel bars with an 8.8 and for fourth on floor with Hinsdale South junior Kwame Lipscomb with a 9.3.
"I'm really pleased with how everything went, especially on floor," Cooperman said. "That's three years in a row now that I've gotten floor at state so at least I'm consistent."
Cooperman threw a new pass on floor, something he had only done a handful of times during practice and never without a mat.
"That was the real victory for me," he said. "I just wanted to do that as a senior to go out with a bang. With p-bars, I knew I had a shot at getting first, but I'll take third any day."
Another senior, Naperville Central's Ryan Durkin, concluded his season by taking fifth on pommel horse with an 8.85.
"I went out there and started strong but took a fall," he said. "I was just happy to get out there and make the finals."
As for newcomers, Neuqua Valley freshman Eric Mitchell was impressive. He took fourth on pommel horse with a 9.0 and was eighth on high bar.
"I think it was really cool to come here as a freshman and do so well with all these upperclassmen and talented kids," he said. "The other day my pommel didn't go so well, but I picked it up today."
Other local medalists included Downers Grove South sophomore Lukas Elisha, who was third on high bar with an 8.75 and fifth on parallel bars with an 8.7, and Hinsdale Central junior Ryan Leahy, who was fourth on high bar with an 8.65 and also competed on floor and parallel bars.
Finally, West Chicago junior Jacob Kurian was eighth on pommel horse.
Altogether, DuPage kids combined for 14 medals. But, as successful as the area was, there was also some heartbreak.
Naperville North senior Yudai Okabe, who battled back from injuries to solely work still rings, tied for 11th in Saturday's preliminaries. The cutoff to advance to the finals was 8.85. He scored an 8.8.
Stevenson junior Matt Kramer won floor with a 9.5, Cary-Grove sophomore Luka Sisauri won pommel horse with a 9.5, Dundee-Crown senior Satchel Hudson won still rings with a 9.15 and vault with a 9.55 and Elgin junior Nolan Williamson won high bar with a 9.0.