Local gymnasts have solid start to season

The Sault Ste. Marie Gymnastics Club attended their first competition of the year this past weekend.

One group went to Jackson, MIch. to take part in the Wolverine Classic while the other participated in the Emerald Cup in London, Ont. Several gymnasts had career debuts and both groups finished with success.

The Sault Ste. Marie Gymnastics Club will now prepare to participate in the Tulip City Invitational in Holland, Mich. on Jan. 28-29.

The full weekend recap is below: 

Over the weekend two groups from the Sault Ste Marie Gymnastics Club competed in their first competition of the season. The national group, coached by Kim O'Brien, was in Jackson, Mich. participating in the Wolverine Classic and the provincial group, coached by Jamie Greenwood, was in London, Ont. participating in the Emerald Cup.

In the national group, Eden Erkkila participated in her first American gymnastics meet of her gymnastics career. Eden dominated the competition with a first-place finish on uneven bars, floor exercise and balance beam as well as a second-place finish on the vault. These placings were enough to crown Eden as the all-around champion in the Platinum division.

Also, in the national group 11-year-old Ava Greener had her best performance of her career. Ava competed in the Gold Division (Child B) and finished in second place on balance beam, third place on uneven bars, floor exercise and the vault. Ava captured the silver medal in the all-around with over 20 athletes in her age category.

Daiveny Pringle made her American competition debut this weekend and had great success. Daiveny was in the Gold Division (Jr A) and finished with a fifth-place finish on bars, a sixth-place finish on both the vault and uneven bars and an eighth-place finish on the floor exercise. She finished the competition with a very respectable fifth place all-around finish with more than 20 athletes in her age category.  

In the provincial group, Caitlynn Shaganash was unstoppable. Caitlynn finished in first-place on vault and uneven bars as well as second-place finish on both the floor exercise and balance beam. Caitlynn was the all-around champion in the Level 4, age 15 category.   

Gymnast Attiya Hernandez-Jiminez competed in the Level 4, Age 14 category and had a successful weekend. Attiya finished the competition in third place on vault, fifth place on the uneven bars and balance beam and seventh place finish on the floor exercise. Attiya was seventh in the all-around.

Lastly, in the Level 3, Age 13+ category, gymnast Angel Unetic was outstanding. Angel rounded the competition with a first-place finish on the floor exercise and balance beam, as well as a third-place finish on the vault and uneven bars.  Angel was the all-around silver medalist.

Next action for SSMGC is the Tulip City Invitational in Holland, Mich..