GYMNASTICS VAULTS NEW HEIGHTS AS COAST POACHES NATIONAL COMP
THE Gold Coast has helped Gymnastics Australia almost double the number of athletes competing at this year’s Gymnastics National Club Carnival.
Tipped to generate $5.9 million for the local economy, the event will bring more than 3800 athletes and their families to the Coast in September and October.
The carnival, at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, will be held on the Coast until 2020 after it was poached from Victoria.
Gymnastics Australia CEO Kitty Chiller said the Coast had demonstrated its love for the sport during the Commonwealth Games.
“Not only did we come away with nine medals – including two gold – across all three gym sports contested at the Games, but the gymnastics competition was one of the first events of the Games to completely sell out,” she said.
The biggest event Gymnastics Australia has ever held, the 2018 club carnival will see 3895 athletes from 236 clubs compete across two sessions – from September 13-20 and September 30 to October 7.
Brett Wood, a coach and trainer at the Super Performance Centre in Ashmore, said the club was sending more competitors than ever to the event.
“We have about 68 athletes representing our club at this event, which is the most we have ever sent to this type of event,” he said.
“A new sport has been added this year called FreeG. It’s like a parkourgymnastics. It’s a fantastic fun and fast sport.”