HARTFORD -- As the leader going into tonight's senior women's final at the U.S. Championships, Rebecca Bross is focusing on what she can control -- and little else.
Bross, who got halfway to her goal of hitting eight clean routines on Thursday night, is poised to win her first senior U.S. title. She won the junior women's title in 2007.
On Wednesday, she sat down with the media to talk about gymnastics and her life away from the gym. A transcript of that interview is below.
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Q: What did you take away from your performance on beam at the CoverGirl Classic?
Bross: "I went back home and I worked hard and I did what I needed to do to get ready for this competition."
Q: What's your goal for this meet?
Bross: "I just want to go out there and do my best and make all of my routines."
Q: Now that Bridget Sloan's not competing all around, does that take any pressure off of you?
Bross: "I actually really haven't thought about it and I feel sorry for her that she can't compete all-around, because we all love to be able to go out there and compete. And I hope for the best."
Q: Are you nervous?
Bross: "Right now, no. I don't really think about it until it gets closer."
Q: Don't you really want to win this thing?
Bross: "Of course, winning would be nice, but that's not really my main goal. I just want to go out there and do my best and whatever my placement happens to be, that's what it happens to be."
Q: Knowing it's the national championships, and you can earn a place in history, doesn't that mean something for you? Why not have the goal of winning?
Bross: "Because you can't control what other people do. You can only control what you do. And if you just want to go out there and do your best and then you end up doing your best and winning that way, then that's just the way it is."
Q: Is there a certain skill or event that you've worked extra hard on to get ready for this meet?
Bross: "I've just been working hard on everything."
Q: What did your coach say to you after your fall on your beam dismount at the CoverGirl Classic?
Bross: "Just that there was stuff that I needed to fix and we went home and worked on it."
Q: What is it you love most about gymnastics?
Bross: "Just being able to go out there and perform in front of everyone."
Q: What's it like to be here with WOGA's large junior team?
Bross: "I'm actually really happy because this is the first time we've had this big of a meet. They're all ready to compete and I wish them all the best."
Q: Do you give them any advice?
Bross: "Just to do what we do at home and do their best, and it will all be great."
Q: Did you have any time to do anything fun this summer outside the gym?
Bross: "I've gone swimming quite a few times. Went to the movies a couple of times. I saw 'Toy Story 3' and 'Alice in Wonderland.' I think that's it, actually."
Q: Do you hang out with your teammates often outside the gym?
Bross: "Oh yeah. We like to go to each other's houses, just mess around, stuff like that."
Q: A lot of teens are into the Twilight series and films. Have you gotten into that?
Bross: "Not really [laughs]. I tried to watch the first one -- someone brought it to camp one time, couldn't get into it. I left like halfway through the movie."
Q: Team Edward vs. Team Jacob -- do you have an affiliation?
Bross: "No." [laughs]
Q: What TV shows do you watch?
Bross: "Well, I've been watching America's Got Talent and, what's the other one? Top Chef, that's been on too. I've been watching that as well."
Q: What about music?
Bross: "My favorite song right now is 'OMG' by Usher."
Q: Do you listen to anything in particular between rotations at a meet?
Bross: "No."
Q: And you're graduating from high school this year, correct?
Bross: "I'm supposed to be, yes."
Q: Have you made any post-high school plans?
Bross: "I don't know what I'm going to do yet."
Q: Planning to figure it out after 2012?
Bross: "Yeah."
Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer or click the "Subscribe" button above to receive the latest gymnastics news and results via e-mail.
Comments
Shes a great gymnast but she seriously needs to brighten up if she wants to be a star in 2012.
Does she have any personality?
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