Every athlete dreams of ending their athletic career with a championship, but Vernon Hills senior Annika Chudy made it a reality Saturday.
After a series of achingly close misses over the past two seasons, Chudy won her first state title in the final event of her gymnastics career when she prevailed in the floor exercise at the state meet in Palatine.
“It’s very rewarding,” Chudy said. “I’ve put so much time and effort into this sport, and for it to finally show, it really feels good.”
Chudy was already the most decorated gymnast in Vernon Hills history, entering this season with five state medals. She added three more this weekend, but none were gold until the floor exercise, during which she stuck a great double pike on her first tumbling pass.
From there, she felt greatness awaited.
“Obviously, you always have a little bit of nerves, but I knew that if I hit every pass, I had a good shot at winning,” Chudy said. “So I just went out there confident, and I was able to pull through.”
Chudy was the 10th of 11 competitors in the floor final and scored 9.675 to take a 0.125 lead over Hersey junior Sabrina Nemcek, who had edged her out for the all-around state title on Friday. That left Lake Park senior Julia Bartnik as the last girl standing between Chudy and the coveted championship, and Bartnik scored 8.85.
So Chudy made history, becoming the first Vernon Hills gymnast to win the state title in the floor exercise. Cougars coach Denise Caton had a feeling it would happen.
“Even before she went up on floor, she was like, ‘I’m ready to do this. I’m ready to hit. I’m ready to go out big,’” Caton said. “That’s exactly what she did.
“We’ve been working hard on it all season, and it’s nice to have that perfect one on that last routine.”
Chudy’s career was already one that most gymnasts can only dream about. Even though her freshman season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Chudy has won eight top-five medals, including three in the all-around, where she finished fifth as a sophomore and second as a junior.
After recording the highest sectional score in the state with a 38.35, Chudy was a slight favorite to win the all-around this time. Only a fall in the balance beam prevented her from doing so.
That allowed Nemcek to win the all-around title with 37.8. Chudy and Palatine sophomore Jolee Waddington tied for second at 37.75.
“I knew I had to hit beam, and I just didn’t,” Chudy said. “I was obviously very frustrated with myself, but Sabrina is an incredible gymnast, so I couldn’t be mad.
“Coming back (Saturday), I knew I had three more opportunities to try to snag first, which just happened to be on floor.”
But first, there were two more near-misses. Chudy scored 9.525 to take second on uneven bars behind Nemcek, who won with 9.675.
Next up was vault. Nemcek won that, too, scoring 9.75, the highest mark of the meet. Chudy tallied 9.525, good enough for sixth place, one slot behind teammate Livy Tran, a junior who scored 9.55.
Which made Chudy’s triumph on floor all the more satisfying.
“It was amazing,” Caton said. “Every gymnast has their ups and downs and seasons that are mentally hard. To see Anni finish on this high, bright note, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Chudy, who said she has a 4.4 GPA, has the skills to compete in college after three years at Level 10 in club. But she said Saturday was her final meet.
“I have plans to become a chemical engineer, and my academics are going to take me to a better college than my gymnastics,” Chudy said. “I think it would be really hard to do engineering and a sport.”
What Chudy helped engineer at Vernon Hills cannot be understated. She led the Cougars to second place in the team competition in 2022 and 2023 — the first state trophies in program history — and fifth place this season, and she did so with class.
“Anni’s heart goes everywhere,” Caton said. “It’s not just within her and our team. It’s everyone that was in this school this weekend. She’s cheering everyone on. She has a heart of gold. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and everyone notices it.”
Caton saw it every day.
“There are so many times where one of the girls in the gym does something and Anni’s like, ‘That just motivated us all,’” Caton said. “She’s been a huge part of our program. She’s amazing.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
