Williams Lake gymnasts bounced into uncharted territory from March 11-13 when seven local high school students flipped onto the mats at the B.C. High School Provincial Gymnastics Championships in Delta.
Williams Lake secondary’s Kara Zurak and Sheridan Davis and Columneetza secondary’s Sunney Engstrom, Ellen Kaufman, Kaylee Dueck, Mason Wong and Andrew Bettles took their routines to face the province’s best over the two-day event, held at Delta Secondary School.
Zurak, competing in the girls’ individual level-three category, took home fourth place in the province against 38 other gymnasts in just her first time competing at the event. Zurak combined for a 12.5 in vault (second), an 11.85 in uneven bars (11th), an 11.15 in balance beam (sixth) and a 12.1 (eighth) in floor for the overall finish.
Davis, likewise, had an impressive showing. Davis finished seventh overall with a third-place finish in balance beam, a fourth-place finish in floor, a 13th-place finish in uneven bars and a 16th-place finish in vault.
Meanwhile, Engstrom landed a 19th-place finish (fourth on vault, 18th on bars, 11th on beam and 16th on floor), Kaufman took 24th (fourth on vault, 20th on bars, 20th on beam, 17th on floor) and Dueck placed 25th (15th on bars, 16th on beam, 19th on vault and 20th on floor).
Both Wong and Bettles competed in the boys’ individual level two division facing a field of 16 gymnasts.
Wong placed 10th overall (third in floor, fifth in pommel horse, seventh in vault, ninth in high bar, 12th in rings and 12th in parallel bars) and Bettles took 12th overall (fourth in vault, seventh in pommel horse, 11th in parallel bars, 11th in floor, 12th in high bar and 14th in rings).
All of the high school gymnasts said it was a great experience to test their abilities against other athletes from schools throughout the province.
Later that month, from March 24-27, the Cariboo Chilcotin Gymnastics Club took its routines to its largest meet of the season — the Twisters Invitational at the Twisters Gymnastics Club in Abbotsford.
Representing the CCGC were Kaufman, Joseph Brinoni, Jaymie Grove, Ashley Palesch and Samantha McKee.
CCGC coach Mike Stinson said the Twisters meet is attended by gymnasts from throughout the world and is a great experience for his club.
“This meet is huge,” Stinson said. “For our kids it gives them a chance to see what that next step is. The next generation of Olympians compete at this meet so it’s great to watch.”
At the Twisters meet, Kaufman took third overall in the Provincial 2 Open division, Brinoni landed fifth in a tough Level 2 Men’s 11- and 12-year-old division, Grove finished 26th in the Provincial 2 Argo division, Palesch ended 15th in the Provincial 2 Novice division and McKee placed 11th in the Provincial 1 Tyro division.
“It’s amazing to see such an improvement [in the kids], especially at this meet where there’s a lot of nerves,” Stinson said.
“They were all so strong and tried so hard it really blew my mind.”
