Record haul for college gymnasts

Andrew van der Linden on the rings, and on his way to a silver medal.

Kaitaia College has enjoyed its most successful foray to the national secondary schools' gymsport championships, winning a record nine medals and setting a number of personal bests amid strong competition.

The students competed in men's and women's artistic gymnastics and power tumbling. In men's artistic the boys competed on the vault, high bar, parallel bars, floor and rings, while the girls competed on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor.

They all performed two passes for the power tumbling judges.

Waikotahi Pitman-Going won the bronze medal in the men's artistic while Andrew van der Linden won the silver medal in the B Grade open.

Jacinta van der Linden placed fifth overall in the girls' Level 4 division, with Shelby Callaghan 18th, Elleanor Kelly 22nd and Vivienne Cosner 26th.

Collectively they won the silver medal in the Level 4 teams division.

On the second day Waikotahi won the bronze medal the B Grade men's tumbling, and Andrew the silver medal the A Grade. Shelby placed 12th in the women's A Grade, Jacinta 13th and Vivienne 15th.

Elleanor won the silver medal in the elite women's tumbling.

The team said they had enjoyed testing their skills against gymnasts from the rest of the country, and wished to thank everyone who helped them get to the national championships, with special mentions for their coaches Angela Bradley, Carlita Grond and George van der Linden.