Sirena Linton had already visualized the moment before the season even began.
When the Arizona Wildcats gymnast showed up for the start of her junior year, one of the first things she told assistant coach Taylor Spears was that she wanted to make nationals.
Spears knows what it takes; while at Oklahoma, she won the 2014 individual title in the balance beam. Her reaction? “I told (Linton) that she totally can make nationals,” Spears said.
Linton, a Phoenix native, will have her dream realized Thursday, when she competes in the NCAA Championships on the balance beam. Linton’s event starts at 11 a.m., and will air on ESPN2. She’ll rotate in with Minnesota, since Arizona did not make the championships as a team.
“I’m incredibly grateful that all my hard work has paid off,” Linton said. “And I’m following in the footsteps of Coach Taylor.”
Spears and Linton have a special bond as coach and athlete dating to the very beginning of Linton’s path as a UA gymnast. Linton earned an academic scholarship to Arizona while at Phoenix Mountain Pointe High School. She seemed on the fast track for an athletic scholarship to a big-time university, too, before knee injuries and multiple surgeries derailed the last year and a half of her high school gymnastics career.
Linton arrived in Tucson as a walk-on prior to the 2020 season. She and Spears clicked instantly.
“She was so well-spoken. She had so many dreams, not just as a gymnast but more of a person, too,” Spears said.
In the 2021 season, Linton posted a career-best mark on the balance beam at the Pac-12 Championships. She seemed poised for a breakthrough in 2022.
But last May, Linton’s older brother Adrian died. The Wildcat gymnast focused her pain into her craft.
“Gymnastics became my outlet. It helped direct me into the right path for my goals of what I wanted to achieve in this sport and in life, too,” she said.
“Finding the strength to continue has been an obstacle for me. But I think that through the adversity that I’ve faced through this year, it’s really just taught me that I can get through anything.”
Linton’s 2022 season has been her best yet. She’s scored a career-high mark of 9.925 on balance beam three times this year, most recently at the NCAA Regionals. She’s developed a new routine that includes words of affirmation and aligning her body and mind before stepping onto the beam.
“That specific routine is very important,” Linton said. “Just knowing to trust my body and trust what I’ve been training for.”
Throughout the season, Spears has seen the junior gymnast preserve through the challenges of losing her brother. Spears lost her father at a young age, and has been able to provide encouragement and perspective.
“She’s doing this for her, she’s doing it for family and she knows that. (Adrian) will be really proud of her no matter what,” Spears said. “And I will be proud of her no matter what.”
Linton and Spears flew to Forth Worth on Tuesday afternoon, and practiced Wednesday morning. Spears is sure Linton won’t be overwhelmed by the spectacle.
“I just remind her to be in the moment and enjoy the moment,” Spears said. “Because this is what you love to do.”
