Sophie the top HBPB gymnast at open champs

TRAVELLING GYMNASTS: Lauren Chambers (left) and Sarah Hawkins on the uneven bars. They were in the Gisborne Gymnastics Club contingent who competed in the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay open champs. Picture by Liam Clayton

Gisborne Gymnastics Club member Sophie Chambers was the top Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay gymnast at the HBPB open championships last month.

She was awarded the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay junior champion’s trophy.

In an event dominated by Wellington region clubs, Sophie won bronze overall in the 11-years-and-over division of Step 4. She was placed first on balance beam and equal sixth on vault and uneven bars.

Wellington region clubs The Twisters, Hutt Valley and Rimutaka were strongly represented in the results.

Six girls and two boys from the Gisborne club competed in the championships and performed well.

However, the girls’ competition was held in Hastings and the boys’ event was in Napier. This meant families and supporters had to split between the venues to support both teams.

Gisborne’s Sarah Hawkins, also competing in Step 4, was third overall in the 10-and-under division. She won the vault, and was second on balance beam and floor, and third on uneven bars.

Sarai Gudgeon placed fifth overall in Step 5. Her best apparatus was floor, in which she placed third.

In Step 7, Lauren Chambers placed fifth overall on Day 1 in the all-round competition. In the apparatus finals on Day 2 she won silver on floor and bronze on balance beam.

Ryan Phillips was third overall in Level 2 boys’ competition. He was placed first on rings, second on pommel and parallel bars, third on floor and equal fifth on vault.

Corin Blair was fifth overall in Level 2. He was third on pommel, equal fifth on vault, fifth on high bar, sixth on rings and eighth on floor.