Gymnasts rack up impressive medal count

HIGH FLYERS: Wanganui trampolinists (from left) Jamie O'Hagan, Keira Bennett, Briar Limpus and Michaela Davey. PHOTO/ANNE BENNETT

Gymnasts from the Wanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club had a busy weekend with podium finishes in two competitions hosted at three venues.

Four trampoline athletes competed at the Midlands trampoline championships in Rotorua and six artistic gymnastics athletes lined up in the Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay Opens, in Napier and Hastings.

Boys and Girls Club head coach Kelly Taylor-Ward said all gymnasts did very well.

"The trampoline athletes entered an additional division called short trak, a progressive discipline aimed at developing the sport of power tumbling," Taylor-Ward said.

"In the senior men's short trak 2, Jamie O'Hagan won gold. Briar Limpus won gold in the senior women's short trak 2 event, while in the junior women's division Michaela Davey won bronze and Keira Bennett gold."

Limpus had thirds in the individual trampoline and the double mini trampoline.

The men's artistic gymnasts competed in Napier and performed well with William Warburton in level 4 receiving second on floor and rings and first on vault. Jesse De Vincentis, in level 6, placed third on rings and second on vault. Jonathan Maples, in level 7, won on the high bar, received a personal best on the pommel and came third overall.

The women's artistic competition was in Hastings where Timara Wallace won step 5 on the floor, Genna Maples a third on vault in step 7, while in step 9 Millie Manning was first overall, with a second on vault, wins on bar and beam and second on floor.