Long before the successes of Haleigh Bryant and Trinity Thomas and the existence of HBCU programs Fisk and Talladega, Black NCAA gymnasts fought battle after battle to earn the recognition they deserved.
In 1987, UCLA’s Kim Hamilton was the first Black gymnast to win an NCAA individual title, doing so on floor. It wasn’t until 1989 that a Black woman won the NCAA individual all-around title, when Georgia’s Corrinne Tarver accomplished the feat.
“Going into the meet, that had been my goal,” Tarver said. “Well, going to college that had been my goal, and I really did feel (ready). The meet was at Georgia, so I was at home, and I felt like, ‘This is the perfect setup. This is the perfect moment for something like this to happen.’ … I knew I was top three. I didn’t know I won until I was standing in the tunnel, and they were bringing people in, and that’s when my coach told me, and I’m like, ‘Are you serious? Really?’”
However, since Tarver’s landmark accomplishment, only five other Black women have reached that same peak, highlighting the sport’s ongoing struggle with diversity. Though things are much different than when Tarver first started out as a gymnast, she – and others in the sport – believe there is still a long way to go.
Born…
