Lyons Township's Alex Janicki has 'best meet,' wins three gymnastics state titles (with video)

HINSDALE – Lyons Township sophomore Alex Janicki had a scary conclusion to his floor exercise routine during the boys gymnastics individual state meet preliminaries May 16.

“I landed the double full and then I just heard something crack or pop,” Janicki said. “It doesn’t hurt to walk on it. It just hurts when I land short on it or kind of funny.”

That evening, Janicki became the state champion in the event to begin one of the greatest state finals performances in school history.

Janicki not only won floor (9.4) but later captured titles on parallel bars (9.25) and horizontal bar (8.8) at Hinsdale Central.

"I'm still trying to comprehend it," Janicki said. "I definitely put up some of the highest scores I've ever gotten this season. I think it was just the adrenaline and just the thought of being at the state finals as a sophomore."

Event qualifiers advance to finals by being among the top 10 preliminary scores. All of Janicki's prelim scores were among the top three but none were the highest. Only scores in the event finals determine the champions.

"He was just on. It was unbelievable. All I can say is how proud I am of what he's accomplished this year – as a person and as a gymnast," LT coach Sam Zeman said. "I haven't seen him perform like this all year long. He's been good and getting progressively better, and the scores show it."

Janicki won parallel bars and horizontal bar by .25 points and floor by .1 point. He also was eighth in Friday's all-around competition (50.40).

Janicki joins 2004 graduate Jason Enke as LT's only gymnasts to win state titles. Enke captured a combined seven titles as a junior and senior, two each on floor and parallel bars.

"I was worried about the [parallel bars] landing because I was a little shaky on it for a few weeks but then I stuck it and I didn't even know what to do, just so excited," Janicki said.

"This is awesome. This is by far the best meet that I've ever had, no question about it. Even though I only did three events, I put up the best scores that I've gotten this year."

As a freshman, Janicki reached the state finals on two events. He was eighth on parallel bars (8.75) and 10th on horizontal bar (7.8).

For Saturday's high bar finals, Janicki was the first competitor based on a random draw. In the same position last year, he fell trying to land his dismount.

"He was really upset [last year]," Zeman said. "It just shows you how much he learned. He's the first up again in finals and he nails it. It's a difference of experience."

In prelims, Janicki also tied for 35th on vault (8.8), was 40th on rings (7.3) and scratched on horse, his final event, following his floor injury. Senior Joe Howard tied for 13th on floor (8.8), freshman Nick Perez tied for 29th on horse (7.7) and junior Joe Gallagher tied for 41st on floor (8.3).