Rockingham gymnasts will handspring into action this month when they head to Singapore for an international competition.
T.J’S Gymsports dance teacher Meaghan Crosse said 32 athletes, their families and coaches would fly out to Singapore on May 14 for the Prime International Singapore Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) competition.
“Prime is an invitational event; it’s a huge feat to co-ordinate and train in preparation for these overseas comps,” Ms Crosse said.
“We have a broad range of ages completing this comp across four levels (levels 4, 5, 6 and 8).
“Our eldest athlete Liana, 19, has been coaching for a few years now and has come out of retirement just to compete herself and our youngest athlete, Anabel, is just eight years old.”
Ms Crosse said it would be the team’s first international competition since November 2016 after the COVID outbreak put travel on hold.
The competition will be a culmination of hours of planning and a year of intense training under head coach Tarja Samut.
“Three of our 2016 athletes are joining us this year as coaches themselves, which is a special ‘full circle’ moment in any club,” Ms Crosse said.
The teams will compete in vault, uneven bars, beam and floor events.
Ms Crosse said competing internationally gave young gymnasts “invaluable exposure to different styles and techniques”.
It also instilled pride and commitment to the future of the sport.
Ms Crosse said it was exciting to be competing as a club during an Olympic year.
“It might be too early to tell if we have any future Olympians with so much quality young talent coming through at the moment,” she said.
“But T.J’S Gymsports has produced elite gymnasts who have represented WA interstate and internationally with WAIS (now Perth Academy) in the past, so (I) wouldn’t be surprised.”
Ms Crosse acknowledged the support from the club’s fundraising committee, parents and local businesses without whom the trip wouldn’t be possible.
For more program information, visit T.J’S Gymsports’ Facebook page or call on Tarja on 0449 143 781.