With teammates behind her, West Chester gymnast makes history with win at national championship
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) — Inside West Chester University's gymnastics center, athletes flip, twist, tumble and defy the laws of gravity.
Junior Jordan Coleman has been studying gymnastics since she was 2 years old.
"It's just such a big part of my life," she said.
Earlier this month, she made history by winning the national championship on the uneven bars, becoming just the second student in school history to win a title.
"It just means all my sacrifice and hard work — it was all worth it," Coleman said.
Her routine included handstands and connected releases, capped off with a stuck landing.
"Huge accomplishment," West Chester gymnastics head coach Barbara Cordova said. "It's super hard."
Cordova, who was also a West Chester gymnast, said what made the competition extra special was that for the first time, the entire squad qualified for the team final, competing against Division I schools.
"This is a team sport, Cordova said. "We all work together to get to that place, and Jordan being able to do that, it just reminds other people, like, 'Hey we can do big things even if we're a Division II school.'"
The team placed fourth overall, but senior Carolina Cascadden said just being there matters.
"It has been a major goal for this team and this school to qualify for team finals and just being able to be a part of that is just so rewarding," Cascadden.
Together the athletes say they're not finished, and they're setting the bar very high.
"Go big," Coleman said. "Don't hold back ever."