GYMNASTS SET SIGHTS HIGH
GYMNASTICS: A determined group of Toowoomba gymnasts are confident they can match it with Queensland’s best this weekend.
Allstar Gymnastics Academy will send 39 athletes to the Queensland State Club Championships with their sights set on a top five finish after finishing in the the top 10 last year.
“We have a group of very focused and determined young girls heading to the championships,” Allstar women’s competitive coach Tegan Morris said.
“They’ve been putting a lot of hours at training over the past few months and we are hopeful they will do very well.”
More than 1000 competitors are expected to attend the championships with the Toowoomba club sending close to the maximum number of teams they can nominate.
“We have nominated teams in levels 4, 5, 6 and 7 as well as the combined 8-10 level competition,” Morris said.
“Brooke Hardin will also compete for the Queensland team in the Border Challenge Event.
“Our youngest girl is nine and the eldest is 16. Several of the girls are state champions and we have a few with nationals experience.”
The strength of the team, though, is in their unity.
“It’s a team competition with five girls competing on each apparatus, the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and the floor. The top three scores from each apparatus count and are then combined,” Morris said.
“The girls are constantly at work perfecting their routines but they are also aware they need to be a good team.
“They work with and support each every day.
“The older girls act as mentors to the younger ones and often the younger girls do their part to push the older girls.”
The championships will run from today until July 3 at the Caloundra Indoor Stadium.
ALLSTAR SQUAD: Level 4: Chanay Boyle, Sophie Daley, Holly Fickling, Madison Fuller, Sara Jamieson, Charlotte Love, Tyla Loveridge, Ellie Maker, Mollyna Malligan, Olivia Mellis, Mia Riches, Natasha Scamp, Elana Schultheiss, Olivia Thompson, Ikaia Wessling. Level 5: Gemma Aspromourgos, Leah Cass, Libby Goulding, Leah Price, Ruane Van Eck, Taylah Whiteman. Level 6: Grace Aspromourgos, Ashlee Cass, Domenica Finch, Ava Hinze, Taylor Logan, Naomi McEvoy. Level 7: Emily Fotek, Kaitlyn Sanson, Maxine Mackenzie, Nicole Van Rhijn. Level 8-10: Madison Cooke, Olivia Doherty, Rita-Lily Evans, Alex Grimmett, Brooke Hardin, Jemima Love, Grace Parker, Kiralee Woodcock. Border Challenge Event (QLD Level 8 Team): Brooke Hardin