Danielle willing to go the extra distance

WORTHWHILE TRIP: Danielle Blair travelled to Taupo seeking qualification to Step 4 gymnastics in time to compete at that level this year. She won the Step 3 girls’ event to earn promotion. Picture by Liam Clayton

Danielle Blair went out on a limb to compete in Step 4 gymnastics this year.

The Gisborne Gymnastics Club member missed one of the qualification scores last year.

It meant she had to continue in Step 3 this competition season, but she has already secured promotion.

Danielle was determined to take an early opportunity to compete in an out-of-region competition to meet the requirements for promotion to the next step.

She would have to compete outside the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay region, so she settled on the Mt Tauhara Gymnastics Club’s annual ribbon competition in Taupo last Saturday.

Danielle knew she would be the only Gisborne gymnast there as the event is not on the club’s competition calendar.

She had two training sessions in the lead-up, receiving helpful tips from juniors coach Keely Phillips.

And during the competition, she had great support from two outside coaches — Jordyn Biggs (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Ebony Matenga (Impact Gymsports, Mt Maunganui).

After four apparatuses, Danielle had won gold in the Step 3 girls’ event. She placed first on vault and uneven bars, equal second on beam and equal sixth on floor.

She will now join her clubmates in the Step 4 events of 2019.