Gymnasts shine in season's final meet
Polarettes gymnasts ended their season on a high note last weekend with a trip to Kelowna, B.C. for the Ogopogo Invitational meet.
Polarettes gymnasts ended their season on a high note last weekend with a trip to Kelowna, B.C. for the Ogopogo Invitational meet.
Seven local athletes, ranging in age from nine to 13, attended the meet.
The meet represented the first competition outside the territory for Level 1 gymnasts Alexis Benson, Anna Gishler and Ali Russell, and they impressed coach Cat O'Donovan with their ability to cope with nerves.
"I think it was a great learning experience,鈥� O'Donovan said. "They actually got some top-10 placements, which was really nice ... something to build on and get more confidence from. We were kind of just going to experience it. I've never taken Level 1s to competition outside before, other than Juneau. It was good for them.鈥�
Benson finished eighth overall in the Argo A group, with a top finish of sixth on the vault and two ninth-place performances on the bars and beam.
Gishler finished 15th in the A group.
Russell competed in a different Argo division, and also finished eighth overall, with a fourth on the vault, an eighth on the bars being highlights.
Other gymnasts competing included Level 2s Maggie Fekete and Sydney Cairns. Emily King competed in Level 3, and Fayne O'Donovan was the lone Level 4.
Fekete finished 23rd in the Tyro division, while Cairns placed 11th in the Novice grouping, highlighted by a 10th-place finish on the bars.
King was the lone Yukon gymnast to bring home a gold, with a first-place finish on the beam.
She was competing in a group of seven, and also picked up a fifth on the floor to finish fourth.
O'Donovan finished eighth in her group of 12, with sixth-place finishes in vault, bar and floor.
"It was a good start for both Emily and Fayne in their new levels,鈥� said Coach O'Donovan.
"They've both gone up a level, and both were feeling quite doubtful until after the meet. Fayne had top eights on something, and Emily had some really good placements as well 鈥� including a gold. It was definitely a good start and all of them are just relieved to be done competing this year.鈥�
The weekend marked the first time the Yukon attended the Ogopogo meet, which was attended by teams from B.C. and Alberta.
The Polarettes will host a gymnastics summer camps every week from June 17 to August 21. Information is available on the club's website 鈥� www.polarettes.org.
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