‘Stars in the Napier sky’

GOLDEN DUO: Charlie Keepa (left) and Ralo Bright won gold medals at the Omni Junior Ribon Competition in Napier. Picture by Liam Clayton

TWO little golden stars from Gisborne brightening the Napier sky — that’s how Gisborne Gymnastics Club head coach Nicola Ludwig described two of her gymnasts who won gold at a Hawke’s Bay competition this month.

Charlie Keepa, in Step 2, and Ralo Bright, in Step 3, won the all-round gold medal for their divisions at the Omni Junior Ribbon Competition in Napier.

The medals were reward for the girls’ consistency over the past four months, Ludwig said.

Seventeen of the club’s junior girls took part in the competition.

“We like to support our partner clubs in the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay region, and send our gymnasts to their competitions,” Ludwig said.

“Competitions are really important for maintaining the focus on excellent performance during training and, therefore, during competition.

“It’s a learning curve for young children who often are very motivated for short periods of time but forget — with the fun of other things — that they need to always practice to the very best of their ability to succeed in the end.”

Results Step 1 girls

Lily Rolls: 5th overall; 3rd on floor.

Summer Ferris: 9th overall; 5th on beam.

Helena Anderson: 10th overall; 5th on vault, 6th on uneven bars.

Step 2 girls

Charlie Keepa: 1st overall; 1st on beam, 3rd on vault, 4th on uneven bars, 6th on floor.

Sarah Hawkins: 2nd overall; 1st on vault, 2nd on uneven bars, beam and floor.

Sophie Chambers: 4th overall; 1st on uneven bars, 5th on beam.

Ruby Williams: 6th on vault.

Team Gisborne (Charlie Keepa, Sophie Chambers, Amelia Arthur and Sarah Hawkins): won silver in the team event.

Step 3 girls

Ralo Bright: 1st overall; 1st on vault, uneven bars and beam, equal 2nd on floor.

Stephanie Collier: equal 2nd on floor, 4th on beam.

Team Gisborne (Ralo Bright, Ella Arthur, Stephanie Collier and Danielle Blair): won gold in the team event.