By Ryan Rogers
The music ended and so did her career. But what an ending it was.
LSU senior gymnast Nicki Arnstad was able to walk away knowing that her last performance was her best one.
“I went out there and I asked God not to help me win, I just asked to let me have fun on my last time.” said Arnstad. “That’s what happened. It was the best time I ever had in gymnastics. I just had the time of my life out there.”
Her ‘Time of My Life’ performance was the stuff dreams and movies are made of. Arnstad posted a 9.95 on the floor exercise and won the individual national title. It was the LSU gymnastics team’s first in the NCAA title in the modern history.
“Nicki has always had a personal dream of winning an individual title,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “She performed like a woman possessed out there. There was a real positive energy in the arena after she won. Everyone was pulling for her, she was definitely the sentimental favorite.”
Arnstad went through an emotional roller coaster ride leading up to her performance.
“I wasn’t nervous in preparing for the meet,” said Arnstad. “And then we went over there and I started to get butterflies. Then we had to wait for two hours while the other events were going on it was kind of nerve racking but it gave me time to settle down. I was glad I went second because I was able to warm up and I then get it done with.”
Get it done with. More like come through with flying colors. Her flawless performance was an obvious winner even before most of the competitors had performed.
“She performed clean all the way through and she finished with a perfect double-pike,” said D-D Breaux. “Everyone who competed after her was going to have to match her difficult routine and perform cleanly to beat her.
“Most of the girls were ending with easier passes,’ said Arnstad. “Ending with a double-pike is really big. My legs were actually physically tired. I remember telling myself running into that last line ‘just stand this one up’. I knew if I did it would be the best routine I ever did. I think if any of my routines deserved a 10 this one did.”
She didn’t get her 10, but her 9.95 was plenty enough to claim the title.
Before the individual competitions on Saturday, LSU came up short in its quest for its first Super Six appearance, finishing eighth overall in the team competition. This added fuel to Arnstad’s desire to represent her team well in the individual competition.
“That always motivates you,” said Arnstad. “We should have been in the Super Six and that would have been awesome. Not making it was disappointing, but I was still excited to compete in individuals. I went out there and set the benchmark for all the girls, then I knew they couldn’t take it away from me.”
While Arnstad was the present, her likely successor was the future and turned a few heads to. Freshman teammate Lauren Companioni finished in the middle of the pack at the competition and appears ready to take the torch from Arnstad.
“I was really pleased with what Nicki’s performance does for the program,” said D-D Breaux. “I think we took another step towards getting to the Super Six. I was very happy to see Lauren (Companioni) do so well to. It bodes well for the future.”
Like many seniors, it’s always tough to walk away from something you love.
Arnstad, a Wisconsin native, is no different.
“The best times at LSU have been the team and the comradery,” said Arnstad. “Coming here they have been my best friends. It’s going to be really hard to leave them. Every year you see seniors leave and it is really sad. I want them to remember me as fun and always there for them. It brought closure knowing that I went out there and my last routine was my best one. It makes it a little easier to get over the whole concept of being finished with gymnastics.”
In case Nicki ever forgets how good of a time she had at LSU, she’ll have to look no further than her ring finger where big shiny national championship ring will be glowing.
A perfect ending for a near-perfect routine.