The last time

we heard from Sean Blackman, a gymnast on Gym South's Level I team and

Fayette County High School senior, he was headed to Las Vegas to compete

against Olympians and other top gymnasts. He returned from Vegas with

a 10th place finish on the rings, more experience and a desire to do as

well as possible at the Junior Olympic Nationals in Savannah.

Mission accomplished.

Blackman performed the same ring routine in Savannah and placed second.

His overall finish was 45th but for Blackman, the rings are his main focus.

It was his third time at the Junior Olympic Nationals and his best finish

ever.

He credits

his coaches, Stephan Benedict and Kyle Sheritt, for establishing the goals

for the meet and helping him reach them.

"They

are incredible," said Blackman. "They know gymnastics like no

one else. They could coach anywhere in the world."

Benedict stated

that Blackman's performance in Savannah was "the culmination of nine

years of hard work."

"Never

say never," he continued, "There was a point where Sean almost

quit but he turned it around and finished second in the nation on rings.

If you have the deisre to get it done, it will."

Blackman graduated

from Fayette County High last Friday and now has a few weeks of freedom

before he leaves for Plebe Summer. Blackman will attend the U.S. Naval

Academy in the fall and has six weeks of boot camp before classes start.

His brother, Josh, attends the U.S. Naval Academy and is on the school's

gymnastics team. They will be reunited on the team this fall.

Though his

performance in Savannah was his last Junior Olympic meet and also his

last competition as a member of the Gym South squad, Blackman looks forward

to competing in the Eastern Conference with the Navy's team and still

going towards his goal of competing in the world championships on rings.

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