The Olympic Games are the Holy Grail of gymnastics. There is no national gymnastics league. Serious gymnasts strive their whole adolescent lives, breaking their bodies and wearing their wills for that quadrennial championship. Despite two knee surgeries before age 18, new LSU gymnast Jessica Savona is one of few who can say they’ve been to the highest level of their sport. “Being able to say I overcame [my injury] has made me a better gymnast,” Savona said. “It made me realize I’m capable of doing what I really want to do.” As an alternate for the Canadian artistic gymnastics squad in this summer’s London Olympics, Savona did not compete. But the experience was still invaluable as she prepares to transition from the rigors of elite gymnastics to the team dynamic of collegiate competition. “She’s in the one percentile,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “Very, very few kids in any sport get to enjoy it.” As a child, Savona loved to run and jump, climbing on and over family members. Her parents put her in gymnastics, swimming and soccer so she could expend her excessive energy. She excelled at both gymnastics and soccer, and by age 10, when both were becoming serious, she had to choose. Her love for the gym, where she spent enough time to qualify for a part-time job, won out. “By that time, we were doing 20 to 25 hours in the gym,” Savona said. “We really had to put a lot of effort into it.” She moved on to the provincial level, then national. Then, in February 2008, she tore her right ACL. She had surgery, then puberty threw whatever gracefulness she retained through her injuries into distress. It took nearly two years to get back into the swing of things. “Once I did have the ability to come back … that’s when I was placing top in Canada and realizing my potential,” Savona said. She was one of the best senior elite gymnasts Canada had to offer. She placed second in the all-around and first on beam and floor at the 2011 Canadian Championships. She then began competing internationally for her country. But gymnastics is not kind to the body. Savona’s left ACL gave out in July of last year at a practice meet. It made her once-realistic Olympic hopes distant. Phone calls from collegiate programs that had been recruiting her quit coming. She didn’t. Savona said it took around nine months to fully recover after surgeons grafted a cadaver’s ligament into her knee. She recovered quickly enough to make an Olympic push, one that proved fruitful. Through several trial events, Savona placed sixth among Canadian Olympic hopefuls. That was good enough for first alternate – had a team member gone down leading up to the Games, Savona would have been the first in line to step in. Making the team as an alternate was bittersweet, but she was still excited. And she doesn’t blame her knee surgery. “Maybe if that second knee didn’t go, I wouldn’t be as determined,” Savona said. She and the other alternate flew into Basildon to meet with the team and train. From there, they went to London, taking in sights, riding trains and soaking up the festivities. Just going to the city itself had always been a dream for Savona. No, she didn’t get to stay in the famed Athlete’s Village. Yes, she sat in the stands while her teammates competed. But when Canada finished fifth, its highest place ever in team competition, she felt every bit a part of the celebration. “Even as the alternate, we were still part of it and they made sure that was clear,” Savona said. “I definitely felt it.” As she transitions to LSU, Savona is in uncharted territory once again. It didn’t take long for her to realize how different Baton Rouge and Mississauga were. She said LSU was an easy choice when they showed faith and kept with her after the injuries. “Everyone just loves hearing about gymnastics and LSU and athletics,” Savona said. Savona said she’s excited to compete for a team, rather than just trying to advance herself through the ranks of national competition, which is physically and emotionally taxing. “Hopefully, it’ll relieve a little stress, make me a happier gymnast like I was,” Savona said. Breaux has coached two other Canadian Olympians in her 35 years at LSU and said the confidence and experience gained in just the qualifying process elevates a gymnast’s skills. She expects Savona to have an immediate impact. “She’s a very good student and of course, she’s an outstanding athlete,” Breaux said. “I think she’s going to truly embrace the LSU experience.” ____ Contact Alex Cassara a [email protected]; Twitter: @cassaraTDR