HARTFORD -- HARTFORD -- How badly does Kytra Hunter want to make the 2010 World team?
"Oh my God, I don't even know what to say," Hunter, 18, enthused, her eyes widening. "I would be so shocked. That's a goal that I really want to achieve."
Hunter is so serious about pushing for the World Championships that she has deferred college at the University of Florida for a semester to train through the fall with coach Kelli Hill in Maryland. She will enroll at Florida in January, just before the NCAA season begins.
After Thursday's women's preliminary, Hunter is tied for fifth with future Florida teammate Mackenzie Caquatto, another Worlds hopeful. Hunter finished fourth all-around in a weak field at the 2009 U.S. Championships, but was not selected for the World team.
Hunter's best events are floor, where she throws some of the hardest tumbling passes ever done by a woman, including a full-twisting double layout and an Arabian double pike. On vault, she shows an effortless double-twisting Yurchenko.
Hunter has persevered in training on uneven bars against the wishes of U.S. National team coordinator Martha Karolyi. She watered back her routine for these championships after missing a release move at the CoverGirl Classic at the end of July.
On night one in Hartford, she left out a release move and downgraded from a clear hip full to a regular full pirouette on bars, connecting it with a bail to the low bar. She hopes the change will help her hit the routine cleanly again in today's final.
"I went home and downgraded my bar routine, and feel comfortable and confident I can make the top three," she said.
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