Club’s tradition on vault upheld by junior members

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

GYMNASTICS

GISBORNE Gymnastics Club former national champions and placegetters would have been proud of the junior gymnasts upholding the vaulting tradition of the club, says coach Nicola Ludwig.

Sarah Hawkins and Ralo Bright were first on vault in the girls’ Step 3 and Step 4 respectively at the Mid-island Junior and Senior Artistic Gymnastics Competition in Rotorua this month.

Lukas Ludwig, competing in Level 4 boys, was third on vault.

“Former national vault champions Lucy Mossman and Emily McAneney, and placegetters Baylee Crago, Harry Pittar and Jamie Gedye would have been proud of our youngsters,” Nicola Ludwig said.

In Step 3, Sophie Chambers placed 20th overall out of 125 gymnasts, Sarah Hawkins was 28th and Charlie Keepa, 32nd.

Lauren Chambers was fourth overall in Step 6 girls, and posted her first qualification score for this year’s nationals.

Results —

Level 4 boys — Lukas Ludwig: 3rd on vault.

Step 3 girls — Sarah Hawkins: 1st on vault; 7th on beam; 8th on floor. Sophie Chambers: 6th on floor. Charlie Keepa: 7th on vault.

Step 4 girls — Ralo Bright: 1st on vault.

Step 6 girls — Jade Swann: 3rd on floor. Lauren Chambers: 2nd on floor; 4th on beam; and 5th on vault and uneven bars.

STEP 6 gymnasts Chambers and Swann sought qualification scores — in Swann’s case, her first — at the Argos Senior Artistic Championships in Tauranga this month.

Both achieved their goal and were much more confident than in Rotorua the week before.

Chambers was fifth overall in the under-12 division, fourth on beam and eighth on uneven bars.

Swann was fourth overall in the over-12 Step 6, fifth on beam and third on floor.

Both girls will have the chance to compete in four more competitions before tackling the national event.