Bower aims for fourth all-around title for Loveland

Bower aims for fourth such title for Loveland

By Scott Stocker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 27, 2008 at 7 p.m.

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Photo by Linda McConnell/Special to the Rocky

Loveland’s Hannah Bower has won three consecutive state all-around titles. But she suffered injuries to her right and left ankles and will not compte until at least the end of September.

Loveland's Hannah Bower will be in uncharted waters this season as she attempts to become the first gymnast in state history to win four all-around championships.

With the wealth of talent Bower figures to face, it will be a difficult task to win a fourth. It will be a more difficult challenge now that Bower will be coming off an injury she suffered last month at a summer camp in Lake Owen, Minn.

"We were just doing some basic tumbling," Bower said. "But somehow both my ankles got turned under, and when I punched, I didn't go. My coach at camp first thought it was my knee that popped, but it was my left ankle."

Bower sprained her right ankle and cracked the fibula just above her left ankle. She is not in a cast and attends practice, but right now, she concentrates only on upper-body conditioning.

If all goes well, she will be back in the lineup at the end of September.

"I'm already coming back strong," said Bower, who carries a 3.9 grade-point average and has not chosen a college. "I think I will have a speedy recovery. I want to try for the fourth title, and I will do the best I can. There's time and I'm grateful this didn't happen right at the very beginning of the season."

Currently, Bower is tied with Marilyn Price of Steamboat Springs, who won three all- around championships from 1976 to 1978 in Class 4A.

Overall, 11 competitors between the two classifications have won back-to-back all- around titles and seven others have won three consecutive individual event titles since the sport was sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association in 1974.

There is no doubt Bower, also an all-state track athlete, has been the dominant force during the past three seasons. While she has not won all the individual championships among the four disciplines, she never has placed out of the top four in any of them.

Bower has double individual championships on the balance beam (2005, 2007), floor exercise (2005, 2006) and vault (2005, 2007). The only individual title that has eluded her is the uneven bars. She finished second in the event in 2005 and 2007 and third in 2006.

Her worst individual finish was fourth on vault in 2006. She also has been the runner-up on beam (2006) and bars (2005, 2007).

"It was a blow for the team to have Hannah get injured," Loveland coach Wendy Thompson said. "But it will be good to have her back, we're pretty sure, by the end of September.

"Most of the varsity is returning, and I think we are going to have a pretty good team. I'm excited to see how they come together."

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