As a toddler, Zahara Slatter loved swinging on bars at the playground. She seemed to enjoy it so much, her family thought it a good idea to get her involved in gymnastics.
Enrolling at the local gymnastics club in Levin opened up a world of fun for the youngster, who had an obvious natural ability for the sport.
Her mother Amy said she thrived at the local club and it became like a second family. She received encouragement to continue with the sport from her coaches and developed a training ethic to match her natural ability.
Now, at the age of 16, she is winning awards at the national level. Slatter won two gold medals in the national competition held at Mercury Bay Park Arena in Tauranga earlier this month.
Representing Manawatū-Whanganui, she was crowned New Zealand Champion in the Women’s Artistic Nationals, and also was the recipient of the Women’s Technical Committee Artistry Award at Step 8 level, as voted by the judges, for her floor routine.
Zahara Slatter in action during a floor routine at the Tauranga event.
It was a step up in competition. Last year, Slatter competed at the Step 7 level at the national event held at Invercargill, where she won a gold medal in vault and two silver medals, one for bar and floor, and for being a top-ranking individual gymnast.
Slatter did all her early schooling at Fairfield Primary School in Levin and spent years with the Levin Gymnastics Club, then coached by Louise McCarthy. She now attends Fielding High School, and since joining the Palmerston North Gymnastics Club has been coached by Anne-Marie Dawson, who is also a dean at the school.
Zahara Slatter with gymnastics coach Anne-Marie Dawson.
McCarthy said Slatter showed talent at a very young age and was elevated quickly into a training squad to match her ability and potential.
So high was her opinion, she suggested that Slatter join a bigger club where there were more gymnasts of similar ability to train with to do her talents justice.
“You could see the talent right from the get-go. It’s great to see her achieve success because she trains hard and has always put in the effort, so she deserves everything she gets,” she said.
Zahara Slatter on the dias at the Tauranga event.
Slatter moved to Australia for a year as a 12-year-old with her mother and continued with her gymnastics while there at Beyond Gymnastics in Adelaide.
She also enjoys athletics and holds long jump records at her school.
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