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For Gymnast Lynch, State Title Might Lead to Olympics

Jair Lynch, a 16-year-old junior at Sidwell Friends, continued his quest to become one of the top U.S. gymnasts when he won the recent Maryland State Division I championships overall title.

He won the ages 16-18 division with the highest score ever recorded -- 110.6 points out of 120.

Lynch, who won the 13-15 Maryland state title last year, also was invited to participate in an international meet in Sweden May 24-June 1. But before that trip, the 5-foot-3, 120-pound gymnast is hoping for a good showing at the Eastern Regional meet at Essex (Md.) Community College May 19.

"That is a major meet and this will be much tougher than the Maryland States {meet} because the competition comes from all over the East Coast," said Lynch's father, Acklyn Lynch, a professor at University of Maryland-Baltimore County. "Jair has done very well and is competing with the older boys for the first time. As you move up in class, the competition gets harder."

Lynch's toughest competition may come from longtime friend and competitor Kimp Grant, a junior at Howard High School in Columbia. Grant, 5-4 and 125 pounds, finished third in the Maryland states last year, but didn't compete in this year's meet because of a toe injury. Grant will compete in the Eastern regionals and will join Lynch on the trip to Sweden. Lynch and Grant are among the few blacks ranked nationally.

Lynch and Grant have an excellent chance to place in the regionals because of their versatility and ability to score well in all of the events.

In the Maryland states, Lynch was first in the vault (18.9 out of 20.0), first in parallel bars (17.9), first in the high bar (18.9), first in pommel horse (18.8), second in rings (17.8) and second in floor exercise (18.1).

Lynch, an honors student, already has received scholarship offers from UCLA, Wisconsin, Illinois and Stanford.

"We're shooting for the 1992 Olympics," Acklyn Lynch said. "He is working very hard and enjoys what he is doing. Making the Olympic team is something we can shoot for down the road."