WG December International Development Clinic

Thursday, 3 December 2009

Earlier in the week 50 of the most promising young female gymnasts came together to participate in a 3 day International Development Clinic...

It was great to see so many great little gymnasts representing so many programs from all over Australia: AIS, Balance, Bunnerong, Carmel & Co, Castle Hill, Epping, Gym-Jets, Morton Bay College, MLC, QAS, VWHPC, WAIS, Westfields, and Waverley.
 
The girls trained solidly for the three days lead by Jo Richards (NJDC), Peggy Liddick (NC), Stacey Umeh (Choreographer) and Valery Kaladzinski (AIS).
 
Highlights included:
  • The following gymnasts who topped the clinic in the following areas:
    • Artemis Dimopoulos (WAIS) for winning the Rope climb and chin up contest.
    • Georgia Ruehlemann (Gym-Jets) for topping the Cast to Handstands
    • Mia Nielsen (Epping) for completing the most leg lifts in 30 seconds.
    • Elisha Lai (Epping) for having the longest broad jump.
    • Grace Flood (VWHPC) for completing the most Kip to Handstands.
    • Alex Venancris (Bunnerong) who at only 9(!) could balance the longest handstand (for the record it was over 3 minutes!!)
    • Out standing performance by Georgia Godwin from MBC - winning the physical test 12 year old division, fastest in the 20m sprint and the physical test overall . A big “congratulations” to Georgia!
    • Winners of the other age divisions were:
      • 9 years: Demitria Andrellos (Gym-Jets)
      • 10 years: Darcy Norman (WAIS)
      • 11 years: Emma Curry (MLC) 
         
  • Congratulations to all the gymnasts who earned a position on the Team Future Squad 2009 – new additions were named: Katelyn Andrews and Aimee Warnock (AIS), Diana Manthos (Castle Hill), Demitria Andrellos (Gym-Jets), Keely Austin and Maddy Clark-Carlile (WAIS) and Lidia McLean (MLC). That makes 64 gymnasts who achieved Team Future Status for the year. Well done girls!
  • Several new members were also added to out Team Future High Achievers squad for 2009 – these girls must be commended for their outstanding competition results and excellent skill learning through out the year. Adding to our already 14 gymnasts currently on the squad were: Celeste Loo (Castle Hill), Kiana Elliott (Epping), Emma-Jane Nedov (Epping), Demitria Andrellos (Gym-Jets), Isis Lowery (Jets), Tamika Jones (QAS) and Briana Ciupac (WAIS). Congratualtions!
  • At the conclusion of the clinic the girls performed a display of their dance that they learnt with Stacey Umeh (fast becoming a tradition!!) and several gymnasts were asked to show the group some of their great skill learning. We can’t wait for these skills to be put out on the competition floor! Great performances included:
    • 2 tuck double doubles - in the belt on tramp by Maddy Leydin (VWHPC) and Brittany Georges (QAS) into the pit
    • Georgia Godwin’s double layout from the tumbling strip to soft mats
    • Kiana Elliott’s (Epping) superb ‘L’ grip work on bars
    • Nicole Grout’s (Gym-jets) flip flip layout on the low beam
All of the gymnasts will be training hard over the next 6 months in order to be invited back to the next clinic following Australian Championships in Perth. Only gymnasts who are competing in the International Development Program and are participating in the IDEAL skills testing are eligible for clinic selection.