The Quesnel Technics Gymnastics Club rocked Kamloops last weekend (March 16), picking up three first overalls and a gold overall.
Junior Olympic (JO) 2 competitor Jaycee Neadow continued her strong 2019 with gold on all of her events, as well as a gold all around.
Rylynn Nugent (JO 3) also placed first overall; while the Kitamura sisters, Courtney (JO 7) and Presley (JO 8), both claimed top spots as well.
Their younger sister, Kassia, fared excellently too, with a third-place finish in JO 4.
Coach Taylor O’Flynn says all the competitors were remarkably focused.
“It’s surprising and awesome,” she says.
“Usually, most of the athletes feel very nervous and anxious to do their routines, but everyone seemed very calm in Kamloops.”
It would be easy to say the confidence came from a turn in the weather, or some road trip camaraderie, but it is most likely a result of solid training.
“The girls have been working very hard on trying to make low deductions on all their little skills,” says O’Flynn. “The gymnasts who are between the age of six and 12 train 12 hours a week, and the girls who are older are training 16 hours a week.”
If they are doing competitive gymnastics, then flipping tumbling and balancing is their No. 1 extra-curricular activity.
Next up for the club is the 2019 Junior Olympic Compulsory Championships in Langley, taking place April 5-7.
READ MORE: Correlieu Men win team trophy at provincial gymnastics meet
RESULTS:
JO 2
Jaycee Neadow got gold on vault, bars, beam and floor, as well as gold all around
JO 3
Rylynn Nugent placed 1st on vault, 2nd on bars, 1st on beam, 1st on floor and 1st overall
Thalia Denis placed 2nd on vault, 2nd on bars, 2nd on beam, 2nd on floor and 2nd overall
Reese Hackney placed 2nd on vault, 1st on bars, 1st on beam, 4th on floor and 2nd overall
Paige Grant placed 6th on vault, 3rd on bars, 3rd on beam, 9th on floor and 5th overall
Jersey Leeson placed 9th on vault, 9th on bars, 6th on beam, 3rd on floor and 8th overall
JO 4
Emily Grant placed 3rd on vault, 6th on bars, 4th on beam, 6th on floor and 5th overall
Kassia Kitamura placed 5th on vault, 5th on bars, 2nd on beam, 4th on floor and 3rd overall
JO 6
Sienna Gryschuk placed 6th on vault, 6th on bars, 1st on beam, 6th on floor and 8th overall
JO 7
Samantha Thomas placed 5th on vault, 5th on bars, 5th on beam, 6th on floor and 5th overall
Courtney Kitamura placed 1st on vault, 1st on bars, 1st on beam, 4th on floor and 1st overall
JO 8
Presley Kitamura placed 1st on vault, 1st on bars, 1st on beam, 2nd on floor and 1st overall
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