Gym Sports: Athletes urged to give their best

(l-r) Gymnasts Clare Robertson-Pene (11), Laura Walton (9) and Tyla Black (9) are competing in Auckland this week at the National GymSports Championships. Photo / Joel Ford

While some people can't see the point of doing flip after flip on a gymnastics mat, Clare Robertson-Pene is completely sold on the idea.

"Gymnastics is just a lot of fun. [Especially] the floor, because you get to do lots of flips," she said.

"I [also] like it because it is hard and you get really challenged."

Clare, 11, is part of a large group of Rotorua gymnasts and trampolinists in action this week at the 2014 National GymSports Championships in Auckland.

The top trampolinists and gymnasts from throughout the country will attend the nationals, with athletes as young as 9 taking part.

Clare will compete in the floor, bar, beam and vault this week as she looks to record a personal best.

Meanwhile, it is the first national champs for trampolinists Laura Walton, 9, and Tyla Black, 9, who can't wait to get going this week.

Laura has only been competing in trampoline for a year but already loves it. Her mum talked her into going down to MIGS Gym in Rotorua last year.

"My friend, I was in her shadow, and my mum said I need to do my own sport so why not do trampolining."

She will compete in the tramp, synchro and double-mini (all trampoline disciplines) in Auckland this week.

"Syncro is my favourite because we get to do it with a partner and it is really fun."

Tyla will compete in the same division as Laura this week, and said she loved doing flips on the trampoline. Tyla said they had been doing a lot of training at MIGS Gym in the lead-up to the nationals.

MIGS Gym centre manager Lynette Farkash said 35 athletes from Rotorua would compete in Auckland this week. She said eight or nine athletes from Rotorua won gold medals last year, but the main aim this week was personal bests.

"You have to focus on your personal best and anything else is icing on the cake.

"I had to to explain 'icing on the cake' to the little ones because they did not understand," she said with a laugh.

The 2014 National GymSports Championships began yesterday at The Trusts Arena in Auckland and will continue until Saturday.