Gymnastics club powering the podium

TIME TO SHINE: Plenty of Taber Gymnastics Club members have been featured on the podium this season. TIMES PHOTO SUBMITTED BY APRIL KLASSEN

By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

The Taber Gymnastics Club is in full swing in its competition season, having already competed in the Glacier Challenge (Kalispell), Battle at the Bridge (Lethbridge) and Ed Vincent Invitational (Calgary).

“We have grown a lot this past year and welcomed a lot of new faces onto our competitive team which has been so rewarding,” said club competitive coach April Klassen. “It’s been going really well. With each competition, the athletes have been getting progressively better which is nice to see. We saw a large jump in numbers, say an extra 12 to 15 kids into our competitive program. The younger kids see the older athletes and we all train at the same time, so they see what the athletes are doing and accomplishing. It’s something for them to look up to.”

The following are top-three podium results from the three competitions:

For the Glacier Challenge, podium finishes included Tayla Hansen getting first in vault (9.6), and first All Around (35.65). Rhyan Hazell earned first in her vault (9.45). Saadieh El Jamal earned second in beam (9.075). Macy Johnson was second in bars (8.65). Kendyl Hollingsworth took bronze in vault (9.075).

Norah Woordman swept silver finishes in vault (8.2), bars (8.1), beam (8.925), floor (9.225) and All Around (34.45). Fiona Ypma had third in beam (8.05). Ruby Valgardson sweet the top of the podium in vault (8.325), bars (8.775), beam (9.025), floor (9.275) and All Around (35.4).

For the Battle at the Bridge, Rowyn Coney was third in vault (8.525). Tayla Hansen was first in vault (9.9), third in bars (8.325), second in beam (9.125), second in floor (8.75) and second all around (36.1). Rhyan Hazel finished top overall in vault (9.95), and third in floor (8.325) and all around (34.425). Kendyl Hollingsworth earned second in vault (9.8), third in bars (8.75), second in beam (8.475), first in floor (8.825), and second all around (35.85). Macy Johnson was third for beam (8.425).

Keenyn Mitchell earned second for floor (9.0). Adison Hutzul earned first on vault (9.45). Norah Woordman had thirds in vault (9.05), bars (8.525), beam (8.675), second in floor (8.9) and third all around (35.15). Fiona Ypma got a second-pace placing in vault (9.225) and third in beam (8.75).

Ruby Valgardson was tops in vault (9.025), first in bars (9.425), second in beam (9.1), first in floor (9.325) and first in all around (36.875). Nikki Kielstra scored a third in floor (8.875). Cali Brugger scored third in bars (8.1), first in beam (9.325), second in floor (9.3) and second all around (35.2). Haven Tams scored third in beam (8.774). Allene Woodruff was first in vault (9.25). Seviya Anderson took second in vault (9.175), second in bars (8.7), and second all around (35.475). Kinley Hughes was first in bars (8.975). Addyson Jensen scored first in floor (9.1).

In the Calgary competition, Tayla Hansen was second for vault (9.75), second for beam (8.916), and first all around (35.266). Rhyan Hazell was second for vault (9.575).

Each athlete is in different categories based on the level they compete and their age.

Taber Gymnastics Club’s next competition is in Edmonton in the last weekend of February with the next one in Lacombe on March 14.