NO SPLIT DECISION HERE.
Madison Hughes performs a split leap during the beam event at the Ontario Provincial Gymnastics Championship in Ottawa in late April. Hughes and three other members of the Muskoka Limberettes team came home with a slew of impressive finishes in the competition, which brought together over 1,000 athletes from across the province.
Four Muskoka gymnasts proved their mettle at a provincial competition in Ottawa last month, which featured over 1,000 athletes from across the province.
The gymnasts, who are part of the Muskoka Limberettes club, earned a slew of impressive finishes in the 2012 Ontario Provincial Gymnastics Championship, which ran from April 19 to 22. According to Limberettes administrator Erin Jarvis-Hughes, only the top 32 gymnasts in each category qualified to attend the event.
The four gymnasts were 15-year-olds Stephanie Hulme and Crystal Marchand, and 10-year-olds Madison Hughes and Taylor Milko. They each earned a place in the event after competing in three previous qualifying meets this year.
“All the girls agree that the provincial championships were a terrific event and are really pleased they had the opportunity to compete,” said coach Sue Hummell.
“The championships were a tremendous success for our girls; they competed well and had a lot of fun, too.”
Competing n her first provincial qualifier, Milko won a silver medal in the uneven bars event in the level five, age 10 category. In the level seven, age 10 category, Hughes finished sixth on floor, seventh on beam and earned a sixth-place finish all around. In the competition’s aftermath of the, Hughes said she was pleased she placed as well as she did.
“I placed in the top 10 in every event and that was my goal,” she said.
Hulme and Marchand both competed in the level seven, age 14-plus category.
Marchand emerged with a silver medal on vault, a seventh-place finish on bars, and earned an 11th-place finish overall. Hulme placed 14th on floor and earned a 16th-place finish overall.
“Stephanie finished the meet ranking 16 places higher than she was going into the championships,” said Jarvis-Hughes.
The pair also both qualified for the vault and bars event in the competition’s event finals — a competition that features only the top eight athletes in each event over the age of 14. Marchand dominated both events and bought home a pair of gold medals.
“It was a great way to finish the meet, I am really pleased with my results,” said Marchand.
Bolstered by their success, the Limberettes are set to hit the road again this weekend, when they compete in the Burlington Spring Cup on Friday and Saturday.