Manning in squad after placing fourth

ALOHA: Wanganui gymnast Millie Manning will represent New Zealand in Hawaii in January, after her standout performances at the National Gymsports Championships in Auckland last week.PHOTO/ALPHAPIX 111015WCSUPMILLIEMANNING

Wanganui Boys & Girls Gym Club standout Millie Manning finished fourth overall for her women's step 10 division at the National Gymsports Championships in Auckland last week.

Manning qualified for the finals on four apparatus, picking up third placings in the floor routine and on the beam.

She has now been named in the New Zealand Development team to compete in step 10 at an event in Hawaii, in January.

Overall, the club had eight gymnasts representing Wanganui-Manawatu among the over 900 competitors from five gymsport codes in Auckland.

"All the gymnasts competed very well," said head coach Kelly Taylor-Ward.

"For the younger ones it was their first national championships and they did a fantastic job representing our region.

"Everyone showed great sportsmanship by supporting their teammates as well as their competitors."

Placings were up for grabs in rhyhmic gymnastics, aerobics, trampoline, women's and men's artistic gymnastics.

Of the other club members, Jonathan Maples entered men's level 7, where he was second on the high bar and second equal on the floor exercise, while also coming eighth on the rings.

In men's level 4, William Warburton came fourth on high bar and was only 0.05 points away from a bronze medal.

Amardin Firaza was ninth on vault and 10th on pommel. He also qualified to the all-around final and finished in 20th.

Troy Rea was seventh on vault and set a personal best on the pommel. In women's step 8, Genna Maples was 10th on the uneven bars.