Amari Celestine is taking Mizzou gymnastics to new heights ... with no plans of stopping
When Missouri sophomore Amari Celestine crafted her floor routine for the 2023 season, she called up the best dancer she knows yet again.
Amari and her brother Artyon choreographed a California-inspired routine that pays homage to her biggest fans on the West Coast and her family. Artyon, who was a quarterfinalist in Season 12 of America’s Got Talent as part of a dancing duo, inspired a routine that just focused on having fun.
“It’s just kind of us goofing around,” Celestine said. “He can be a bit of like a hard coach because I can’t dance like he can.”
That fun is paying off.
What Celestine is doing at Missouri as a sophomore has her on track to finish her career as one of the best gymnasts in program history, following a breakout freshman season. Now, she wants even more as a sophomore for the No. 14-ranked Tigers.
MU coach Shannon Welker said even he gets lost in her performances at times.
“I even enjoy watching her and just sitting back,” Welker said. “It’s the Amari show, and it’s fun to watch.”
Celestine had an incredible freshman season. She came to Missouri as a five-star recruit by gymnastics recruiting services and was immediately one of the best gymnasts on the roster.
She also had a clutch factor that MU needed at the biggest moment of the season. In the NCAA Semifinals, Celestine was the final gymnast in the floor rotation — and the event as a whole. She needed to score at least a 9.925 on her floor routine to clinch Missouri a spot in the NCAA Championships.
Celestine scored a 9.925 exactly. She lifted Missouri to its second-ever berth in the NCAA finals and a fifth-overall finish in the final rankings.
It was a stretch of days that showed her potential.
“She was runner-up on vault last year, second in the country, and, an All-American on floor as well,” Welker said. “It’s limitless for her.”
Celestine lives up to that potential with a mentality that matches it.
She said she’s more aggressive on her vault, which is arguably her best event, and it’s because Celestine can show off the power she has. She scored a 9.875 in the vault against No. 10 Kentucky on Friday evening, where one judge scored her at a 9.900.
Celestine finished the evening with a 9.925 on her floor routine, which she said shouted out all of her California fans.
That’s why she doesn’t want a repeat of 2022. Of course, there are no qualms against celebrating a top-five finish at all. But, wanting the same wouldn’t fit with how Celestine pushes herself.
“I can be content with what we did, but then I have to make sure that I don’t get complacent with where I am because then I’ll just be static,” Celestine said. “If I push the repeat button on what I did last year, then I’m not really going anywhere. I’m just kind of in the same spot.”
This season, Celestine has gotten off to a bit of a slower start.
Welker said Celestine was sick to begin the year. The meet against UK was Celestine’s first home meet, and she had excitement and energy coursing in her performance with her family in attendance.
Now, Celestine is finding her rhythm. MU’s coaches saw that dominant gymnast against Kentucky.
“Tonight really was like, ‘Oh, now we’re going,’” Welker said. “It’ll get better from here.”
To get better, Celestine said MU needs to focus on the little things: landings, shapes and forming a pointed toe. They’re the things that separate good scores from great scores.
Welker said he’s seen that from this team so far this season, but it needs to be more consistent. A bit more consistency could have beaten Kentucky, and Welker knows it.
Now, with Celestine returning to full strength, MU can live up to its potential.
“Basking in our achievements last season was definitely the first for me,” Celestine said. “I’m a new person; I have new gymnastics. So just kind of being that best athlete, best teammate, best person, best student I could be this year was kind of like my main focus.”
The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.
