Students in action at annual Tairawhiti School Gymnastics Festival

Competing at the Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti School Gymnastics Festival were this team from Mangapapa School, with their rhythmical gymnastics routine. From left, Daisy West, Porshia Warren Hillman, Sophie Rolls, Journey Edmonds Manual and Mila Siata-Faatau. All pictures by Paul Rickard

Two days of competition came to an end yesterday as the Gisborne Gymnastics Club hosted the Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti School Gymnastics Festival.

Students from 25 schools from around the region showed their skills on the vault, beam and the floor over the two days, each looking to impress the judges at the Electrinet Sport sCentre.

Yesterday saw the secondary, intermediate and rural schools try their best to earn the perfect 10 in each discipline.

A total of 1135 participants were registered and Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti adviser Debbie Hutchings said  it was “a big two days”.

The event is an opportunity for students to explore gymnastics and get an idea of the sport at an entry level — “just real participation so anybody and everybody can actually be successful”, Hutchings said.

“We have the absolute young ones, doing  real basic movements, right up to our competitive club gymnasts having the chance to participate and represent their school.

“From five years old to 15 years old is the age group — primary, intermediate and secondary.”

Schools from Potaka and Tolaga Bay, and right through to Tiniroto, made the trip to Gisborne for the festival.

“The real acknowledgements need to go to Gisborne Trampoline and Gisborne Gymnastics clubs for allowing us to run the event in their facility across the two days,” Hutchings said.

“Also to Gisborne Girls’ High and Lytton High schools for volunteers to help manage the day with judging and managing the school groups.

“And a thank you to the Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti staff for helping to deliver the days.”