THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503170048
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER CAMPUS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 137 lines
FLOOR EXERCISE was first. But it wasn't just another opening routine for 16-year-old gymnast Robert Yarborough.
It was the first event of last weekend's boys state gymnastics meet in Virginia Beach - Robert's first vault into national competition after a comeback that amazed even him.
He stepped up to the red mat, planted his bare feet in the corner and visualized his first pass - a round-off front handspring with a triple twist. He glanced at the judges, waited for the ``go'' signal, but realized they were still scoring the last competitor.
Pacing the padded floor, he shook his hands madly, like a boxer gearing up for a fight. During those spare moments, little things gnawed at his concentration.
There was the hometown crowd, waiting for the return of the year. And if that wasn't enough pressure, Robert had his own expectations - a score high enough to guarantee him a place at regionals.
He was one of only two tumblers competing at his level, Class One Junior Elite - the next to highest level in boys gymnastics. He would take home first or second place - it was inevitable.
But lodged in the back of his brain was the fact that the only other competitor, 17-year-old Jonathan Uransky, was not just another competitor. He was his teammate and one of his oldest and closest friends.
Last weekend's state meet reminded both Robert and Jonathan of their unique friendship - one that is marked by brotherhood but anchored in competition.
``We have to beat each other,'' Jonathan said during an interview before the meet.
``We pull for each other, really,'' Robert said of their eight-year rivalry. ``If I do something good, he congratulates me. If he does something good, I'll let him know. . . .''
``Like buddies,'' Jonathan said, finishing the sentence before getting a fist to the biceps.
Although they have always been jokesters, it took many years for these athletes to sit back and laugh about it all. They have definitely tested the limits of friendly competition.
Shouting matches were regular, Robert said. He remembers one incident at a training camp in Pennsylvania when the two almost came to blows.
``When we were younger, we were definitely more competitive,'' Robert said. ``We were always worried about winning.''
But this wasn't always a bad thing. ``We made each other better when we were growing up,'' Jonathan said. ``We still do - it's just in a different way. Now it's just going out there and doing our best.''
Through competition, the two have not only learned tricks of the sport but also have taken home a few life lessons. Robert's comeback has been the most recent.
After five years of competing at Gymstrada in Virginia Beach, Robert decided to hang up his rings in 1992.
``I wasn't finishing near the top,'' he said.
The 10-hour weeks at the gym seemed pointless. Friends convinced him that mall-hopping and shooting hoops beat sit-ups and tumbling routines.
``I got caught up in the teenage thing,'' he admitted. ``I had other interests in mind.''
So Robert gave up. All of his accomplishments melted into nothingness - his self-esteem crumbled; his strength declined.
But after talking with his mom, Lizzie, Robert realized that being cool wasn't worth the depression, and it surely wouldn't earn him a scholarship. He returned to Gymstrada in May 1994.
``My coach said, `You're going to have a whole new look on gymnastics,' '' Robert said of Gymstrada coach Doug Price, his mentor from the beginning. ``He was right.''
Robert's experience helped Jonathan as well.
``He taught me that anything's possible,'' said Jonathan, who's still learning after a third-place finish in the national championships and a few state titles. ``If things are hard, you can still overcome them.''
After Robert's return, Jonathan began working with a new coach, Jim Walker, which meant the guys wouldn't be training together. Nevertheless, Jonathan was there - giving Robert tips on form, body line and focus.
Jonathan was surprised by his friend's determination. ``(Robert) progressed a lot faster than anybody expected,'' he said.
A modest Robert agreed, saying: ``I was actually getting really good - better than I thought. I was doing Olympic-level tricks. Everything just clicked.''
``You go, boy,'' joked Jonathan.
Their relationship has helped the guys grow socially, too. While their interests in gymnastics parallel, they are definitely different.
Robert, a junior at Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, trains 15 to 20 hours a week in the gym, but he always makes time for what he considers equally important - homework, the school newspaper and friends.
Jonathan however, who is a senior at Norfolk's Lake Taylor High School, spends a solid 38 hours a week training - with before and after school practices on weekdays and daytime sessions on weekends. The sport rules his life.
``That's the most anybody trains - 40 hours a week is the max,'' he said. ``It's like a full-time job for me.''
Besides gym, Jonathan spends Saturday and Sunday mornings delivering newspapers. He hangs out with his girlfriend during his free time.
Years of discipline will affect both their futures.
Jonathan knew he wanted to go to college on scholarship, but he also craved Olympic competition. He spent many months debating whether to stick around to train for the 2000 Olympics or head to a big gymnastics university such as Temple or Syracuse.
But Tuesday night, his decision was made when a risky dismount resulted in a fractured ankle. He decided to train for another year and pick up some courses at a local college.
``I don't want to end the year with an injury,'' he said.
Robert's goals are more immediate. He's striving for consistency in all six events - high bar, parallel bars, rings, pommel horse, vault and floor - while itching to spend his birthday in Oakland, Calif., site of the national competition.
``I want to show other people that it's never totally over,'' he said. ``You can always come back.''
No matter where the two end up, Jonathan and Robert will always value their unique friendship. Raised by two different families, in two different cities, attending separate schools, they are proof that one common interest can bury a world of differences.
``Everybody would always say we were like twins,'' Robert said. ``We were always finishing each other's sentences.
``We can be goofy, but we can be serious, too. I guess that's what people mean when they say we're like brothers.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
Jonathan & Robert, 1988
BILL TIERNAN/Staff Photos
Jonathan & Robert, 1995
Jonathon Uransky, above, and Robert Yarborough, left, competed in
the boys state gymnastics meet last weekend in Virginia Beach.
QUALIFIERS
In the Virginia boys state gymnastics meet, Jonathan Uransky
finished in first place all-around, Class One, with a score of 49.7,
and Robert Yarborough was second with a score of 37.65.
Both qualified for regional competition to be held April 22-23 in
Albany, N.Y.
by CNB