Aspiring Gymsports gymnasts have been busy this competition season performing at College Street Gymnastic Club, the Dunedin Gymnastic Academy and also at the South Island Championships in Timaru.

“It was a great experience for all,” head coach Rae Paterson said.

A Step 1 team of Emerson Wyatt, Hazel Robinson and Penelope Swan did well in Dunedin competing against much older and more experienced gymnasts.

“The girls are building confidence in performing and enjoying the experience of competing in gyms much larger than their own,” Rae said.

Lucy Wellington on beam at the South Island champs.

Step 2 gymnast Keira Lam earned a great qualifying score and placed fourth overall with a third place on floor

Some of the club’s senior regional competitive gymnasts travelled to Dunedin in what was their first competition in 18 months. 

“They enjoyed being able to perform their floor routines on a full size sprung floor which resulted in some great tumbling and routines,” Rae said.

Sienna Clarke, Charlotte Shepherd, Isla Naismith and Alexia Sutherland.

Level 4 gymnasts Charlotte Shepherd placed sixth on floor, Skyla Coll placed third on bar and Sienna Clarke placed fifth on bar and second on floor.

Level 5 gymnasts Alexia Sutherland placed fourth on bar and third on beam, and Isla Naismith placed third on beam. Both girls travel twice weekly from Cromwell to train in Wanaka.

Level 6 gymnast Caoimhe Heath placed first on floor, second on beam and vault, fifth on bar and second overall; and Zoe Nicholson (also Level 6) placed third on bar, fourth on beam, floor and vault, and third overall.

Some of the club’s senior gymnasts in the national competitive stream competed at the South Island championships in Timaru last weekend, Rae said.

Skyla Coll, Zoe Nicholson and Caoimhe Heath.

It was the first outing in a large stadium for Step 4 gymnasts Vienna Harley and Lucy Wellington, competing with the best gymnasts in the South Island. Vienna earned eighth equal place on vault in a field of more than 30 gymnasts. 

“It was a pretty good effort for her first South Island Championships,” Rae said. “Both gymnasts performed well and didn't let their nerves get the better of them. They performed with focus and grace and made many new friends from other clubs and areas.”

The atmosphere of a large stadium produced some personal bests for the Level 3 boys team of James Watson, Charlie Nisbet and Marshall Watson. All boys earned personal bests in at least two apparatus’ in a field of 17.

Marshall placed sixth equal in vault, Charlie sixth equal in vault and rings, while James Watson, who was rehabilitating a minor injury, placed seventh in vault and fourth in floor, a major achievement considering he omitted one whole skill, Rae said.

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