Girls gymnastics: DeKalb’s Eden Russell just misses IHSA state medal on uneven bars

PALATINE – DeKalb senior Eden Russell enjoyed one more day of competing before retiring from gymnastics.

Russell performed on vault and was tantalizingly close to winning a medal on uneven bars at the IHSA Girls Gymnastics State Meet on Saturday at Palatine High School.

Russell scored 9.175 on bars, 0.075 from tying for fifth place with Fremd’s Abby Gallicho and Palatine’s Riley Strahl at 9.25. Barbs coach Andy Morreale thought one little hop on Russell’s double-back-flip dismount was probably the difference in her not receiving a medal.

“My bar routine was good today,” Russell said. “I always do my normal bars. I trust my training. I always seem to hit bars the same every time. I missed it by a little bit. If I would have stuck my dismount, I could have medaled.”

Russell was the only gymnast from DeKalb, which co-ops with Sycamore, to make the finals. The Barbs took fourth as a team with 142.675, behind state champion Downers Grove South (145.575), Vernon Hills (144.975) and Geneva (143.425).

“It was good. She competed about as well as she can,” DeKalb coach Andy Morreale said. “If she sticks that bar dismount, she medlas. She just hopped, lost maybe a tenth (of a point). The finals are like that, it’s usually who sticks the dismounts.”

Russell was thrilled to compete one more day on bars.

“Bars has just always been one of my strong events, even when I was little,” said Russell, who will attend Illinois State University next year. “It sort of comes natural to me. I love being graceful, and doing my dismount is one of my favorite things in gymnastics.

“My body’s kind of done. I just kind of think my body’s come to an end with it.”