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Quesnel gymnasts finish off the season with a bang

Club wins 29 medals at Ogopogo Invitational in Kelowna
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Head coacch Peggy Wilcox poses with Jessica Higgins, Presely Kitamura and Christine Kline. Submitted photo

Quesnel Technics Gymnastics Club wrapped up an awesome season with one last meet in Kelowna this weekend (June 7-9).

The club sent 15 athletes, one coach and six judges to the Kelowna Ogopogo Invitational meet. Club president Marlene Higgins says it was a great turnout from the club for the last meet of the year.

“Every athlete performed above all expectations, and every one of them took home either medals or many ribbons,” she says. “For some, it was the first time competing at a higher level than they had all year, so maybe they didn’t bring home the bling, but the accomplishment of moving up a level and training more difficult skills and then performing them for the first time cannot be measured by ribbons or medals.”

She added the club is extremely proud of all that the athletes have accomplished this entire competition year.

For this competition, local judges Lisa Laundry, Jade Kotzer, Jennifer Grant, Presley Kitamura, Jessica Higgins and Christine Kline all stepped up to help out the Kelowna club in completing their judging panels. Laundry and Kotzer sit on the Zone 8 board as Zone 8 judging chairs.

Higgins says Quesnel athletes, coaches and judges are lucky to be able to have these resources so close by.

Results:

Junior Olympic (JO) Level 2

Avery Strang won silver on Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor, as well as gold overall.

Ava Peterson won gold in Vault and Floor and silver on Beam, as well as an overall gold.

JO3

Justine Biller won bronze on Bars, placed sixth on Vault and was eighth on Beam, 10th on Floor and sixth overall.

Paige Grant earned bronze on Bars, placed fourth on Beam and fifth on Vault and Floor and won bronze overall.

JO 4

Emily Grant received an eighth place on Vault, Floor and All Around and was ninth on Beam and Bars.

Kassia Kitamura earned a silver on Vault and Bars, a fourth place on Beam, a sixth on Floor and a bronze medal for All Around.

Kamryn Grant, who competed for the first time in Level 4, finished sixth on Bars, seventh on Beam, Vault and Floor and came in eighth place overall.

Xaria Jourdain won silver on Vault and bronze on Bars, was sixth on Beam and Floor and finished fifth overall.

Mackenzie Ford won bronze on Vault and Beam, a silver on Bars, a gold on Floor and silver overall. She also received an Ogopogo trophy for most artistic Floor.

JO 6

Hannah Brown won bronze on Vault and placed fourth on Floor, sixth on beam, seventh on Bars and seventh overall.

Sienna Gryschuk won silver on Beam, placed sixth on Floor and was seventh on Bars, eighth on Vault and seventh overall.

Seaurra Stewart placed fourth on Floor, seventh on Beam, eighth on Bars and Vault and ninth overall.

JO 7

Courtney Kitamura placed fourth on Bars, fifth on Vault and Beam, ninth on Floor and seventh overall.

JO 8

Presley Kitamura won silver on Floor, placed sixth on Vault and was fifth on Beam and sixth overall. Unfortunately, she was prevented from competing in Bars due to a hand injury.

Christine Kline won gold on Vault, silver on Bars and a bronze overall, as well as placing fourth on Beam and sixth on Floor.

JO 9

Jessica Higgins won bronze on Vault, silver on Bars and silver overall, as well as placing fourth on Beam and fifth on Floor.

Aspire 1

Geillan MacEwan placed seventh on Beam and Floor, eighth on Bars and ninth overall.

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Seaurra Steward, Sienna Gryschuk and Hannah Brown show off their medals at the last meet of the year.
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Justine Biller and Page Grant atop the podium in Kelowna.