Young tumblers win medals in Auckland comps

An invitation to watch tumbling at its best . . . . high-flying New Zealander Dylan Schmidt, pictured in training. The Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist will be in Gisborne to perform at the Stihl Shop Sports Centre in Aberdeen Road tomorrow afternoon.Photosport NZ picture

Gisborne Trampoline Club took six tumblers to Auckland for the Counties Manukau power tumbling.

Simultaneously, the competition included the NZ Schools competition where a few of the team also competed.

Lily Arnold, competing in Junior International, won the Schools competition and in the Counties tumbling comp took silver.

Lily has a high degree of difficulty, so her aim now is to perfect her high DD by increasing the speed of her whips and combining that with the top form she is well known for.

Rioss Smith, at his first competition out of Gisborne, was one to watch in the 13-14 year boys tumbling, where he won gold.

Capria Tamatea turned on excellent performances in the school’s competition and Counties in the 15-16 age group. She captured two well-deserved gold medals with fast whips and flic flacs sealing her top spots.

Bella Campbell-Reedy performed well to win  silver in power tumbling in the 11-12 girls division at the Counties competition.

Once again Porsha Warren-Hillman displayed her high skill level, easily winning gold in the 11-12 girls division.

Sophie Hawkes qualified in the top level 11-12 age group girls, which meant all the team have qualified in tumbling for the NZ Nationals in Palmerston North.

All eyes are now on the upcoming Central Champs to be held here in Gisborne  on April 19-21 at the newly sponsored and named Stihl Shop Sports Centre in Aberdeen Road.

Major work was recently completed on the roof to repair  leaks and the club is hoping to see the dilapidated and unsafe footpaths revived to complete the look of the building.

Gisborne Youth Sports Trust, which run the building, would appreciate all the help it can get from tradespeople in the community.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist Dylan Schmidt will perform at the Sports Centre tomorrow.

The club encourages everyone to head to the centre at about 3pm to witness his incredible talent.

“See if he touches the roof.”