Valparaiso junior gymnast Gabi Grisafi places at IHSAA state tournament
VALPARAISO, Ind. — On Saturday, March 12, high school gymnasts from all across the Hoosier state gathered to compete in the IHSAA 2021-2022 Gymnastics State Tournament at Ball State University’s Worthen Arena in Muncie. Competition was fierce among the female athletes.
Valparaiso High School gymnast, Gabriella “Gabi” Grisafi was among the top competitors placing 2nd on bars and 4th in the all-around. She tied for 5th in vault, placed 8th in floor and 11th in beam. A junior, this is her third year making it to state and her best state result so far.
Reflecting on this past season, one of Gabi’s best memories was winning the Viking Pairs competition with her partner Rita Piech. “Each of us did two events and our scores were added together,” she explains. “We were also up against six other teams trying to place as many pairs to win as a team.” And win they did! Valparaiso High School took first place.
Gabi’s goals for next year are, “to beat my scores from this year and place better at state and with my team,” she shares. This year, the Valparaiso High School team placed 3rd in state out of 12 teams which is also a tremendous accomplishment.
According to Gabi, what she loves most about gymnastics is that there is no end point. “There are so many challenges to overcome but you can always get better and improve on things. You can always do something harder in your routine if you want to. But it’s a really mentally and physically tough sport. You really have to be in check on both factors.”
Gabi’s favorite event is beam but it makes her mom, Gina Grisafi, hold her breath every time. “She started tumbling when she was four years old,” Gina shares. “And she’s loved it from the get-go. “I’m so proud of her determination and pushing herself to do something that’s so physically and mentally hard. Gymnastics is grueling and I’ve seen her push through the pain of injuries. I’m in awe of her! I also admire her ability to stay focused on her training, eat well, get good sleep, do her schoolwork, and get to practices. She never misses a beat!”
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