“Trust plays a big role, as does the ability to zoom into the zone. Concentration can be lost so easily, especially when gymnasts are very young.
“Now after the two-day event we have two new Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay open champions. Golden girls Lauren Chambers and Jade Swann both won their age groups in Step 6.”
Day 1 was for the team event and the all-round final. Both girls showed their improved routines to a group of judges from Whanganui, Wellington, Rimutaka, Hastings, Napier, Waipukurau, Manawatu, Kapiti, Onslow, Mt Maunganui and Tauranga.
On Day 2, both girls had to do it all over again. They went into the competition with clear goals on how to improve their scores.
Lauren Chambers won gold on beam and floor, and was second on uneven bars and third on vault in the Step 6 girls’ 12-years-and-under age group. She improved her overall score by 1.2 points.
Jade Swann won gold on uneven bars and floor in the 13-years-and-over division and was fourth on vault and beam. She improved her score by 2.15 points.
Sarai Gudgeon was fourth overall in Step 5. It was Sarai’s first competition in Step 5 and she just missed the qualifying score. Sarai danced and tumbled her way to third place on floor. She was fourth on beam and fifth on uneven bars.
Ralo Bright won silver in the Step 4 girls’ event. She made a big improvement in her confidence and artistry from her previous competition and recorded her first qualification score towards Step 5 national grade. On her favourite apparatus, the vault, she blitzed the field and she was third on uneven bars and fourth on beam and floor.
All four girls will compete in the Gisborne event on July 28 and 29. Former New Zealand Olympic gymnast Dido Gotz, of Auckland, will be chief judge of the competition.
