There’s a new state champion at Carroll, and her name is Avery Ziembo. On March 15, 2025, junior Ziembo won gold at the State Gymnastics Tournament in the Uneven Bars with a score of 9.675 and tying with Jillian Creager of Homestead.
Before Ziembo become state champion, she had to wait through Creager’s routine until the scores were calculated.
“I was so nervous. I knew that if this girl hit, then it’s either going to be a tie or she’d win” she said.
The scores were tallied, and Ziembo was crowned state champion. But, for Ziembo, a state title was the culmination of years of work.
“I was so excited. It’s been my goal for forever” she said.
The journey to winning state started 14 years ago.
“I started because of my mom. She put me in classes when I was three, and I fell in love with the sport” Ziembo said.
These 14 years weren’t always easy, and came with multiple obstacles.
“My mental blocks. They get in the way of my gymnastics. If I get too scared to do a skill, then I fail. It’s basically self destruction,” Ziembo said.
However, Ziembo hasn’t let these stop her from chasing her goals. She pushes through whatever obstacle is in her way to get to be on top of the podium. Her focus was vital in her preparation the day of the state competition.
“Instead of having 10 minutes to warm up, you have two minutes. It’s definitely a lot more intense” Ziembo said.
Even with a shortened warm up, Ziembo stayed calm and executed her routine, receiving the state winning score of 9.675.
Now, as a state champion, Ziembo has set her eyes on the future.
“I definitely want to win again, but I want to win on more things, not just bars” she said.
And for Ziembo, this means continuing to be focused.
“My consistency is what has gotten me to where I am because when it comes down to it, when you’re nervous, you’ll be more likely to wobble, so if you can do it when you’re nervous or you know that you can hit the skill, it calms your head and your mental state, so it works better” she said.
To achieve her goals, Ziembo practices over 21 hours each week, and on top of this, Ziembo also runs track. Balancing her schedule is no easy task because of this.
“I do club gymnastics, too. I also run track, so for school, I have to make sure if I’m able to work ahead, then I do that. I take notes early before class so I can just listen in class also,” she said.
Ultimately for Ziembo, her success wasn’t just because of talent, but of hard work and dedication.
“Never give up. You have to have the hard days in order to have the good days. Don’t dwell on those hard days, but when you when do have those bad days, remember those great days that you’ve had.”
