Invercargill teen named in NZ aerobics squad
Lucy Cooper is counting down the days until she flies to Australia to represent New Zealand in aerobics.
The Invercargill 17-year-old is part of a New Zealand squad heading to Queensland’s Gold Coast to compete at the Australian Gymnastics Championships.
She will compete in the individual section of the aerobic and acrobatic gymnastics competition, which takes place from June 27-30.
Cooper said there wouldprobably be some nerves but she would be raring to go once they arrived in Australia.
“This will be my first time doing any overseas competing. I am really excited. We don’t know exactly when we head over yet.
“It was pretty exciting. I had been waiting on an email for a few days ... I was stoked when I found out I had been selected.”
Cooper will be joined by three others in her category, while all up there are about 20 competing from New Zealand.
She has pursued the sport for about seven years, having been introduced to it at age 10 when she was a pupil at Otatara Primary School, thanks to a teacher who was an Invercargill Gymnastics Club coach at the time.
“I was doing recreational gymnastics, and she asked me to give aerobics a go – and I haven’t looked back.”
The sport was quite different to other gymnastics codes, she said.
“It’s on a hard floor and [uses] just one kind of apparatus. One minute and 20 [seconds] of just jumping round.”
Last year, the top three Australian level 10 athletes were invited to compete at the
New Zealand nationals. Gymnastics New Zealand asked if some Kiwi competitors could head to Australia in 2024, and the answer was yes.
Cooper said she was looking forward to competing on a proper aerobics floor and gaining some international experience.
“An aerobics floor is wood but has springs underneath, and it’s a lot bouncier. New Zealand doesn’t have one.
“So that will be nice to compete on, rather than our hard floors.”
She has opted for the same routine as the one she performed at last year’s nationals.
Now the hard work starts for Cooper as she knuckles down to be in the best form possible when the Gold Coast trip rolls around.
“I would love to represent New Zealand in like a world championship event – that would be the ultimate goal,” she said.
“But for now, doing my best on the Gold Coast is the focus.”