Three Vernon School District gymnasts made their provincial high school championships debut in South Delta.
Taylor Bowden, a Grade 10 student at Coldstream’s Kalamalka Secondary, and W.L. Seaton’s Veronika Yacovelli (Grade 8) and Aiyanna Collins (Grade 10) competed in the B.C. finals at South Delta Secondary after having qualified at the Zone 2 trials in Kamloops.
There were 88 secondary schools from all over B.C. taking part with gymnasts competing in Levels 1-5, with 5 being the highest level of gymnastics in B.C. Secondary School Sports.
Yacovelli competed in Level 4, and just missed the podium in the beam discipline, placing fourth. She was eighth on vault, 16th on floor exercises, 20th on bars and 13th all-around.
Bowden competed in Level 4 as well, placing ninth on floor, 11th on vault, 18th on bars, 22nd on beam, 17th all-around.
Both gymnasts were competing in a group of 39 gymnasts, in Grades 8-12. Bowden and Yacovelli train with Okanagan Gymnastics Centre in Kelowna and are coached by Heather Ivanitz and Jesse Jakins.
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Collins competed in Level 3 in a very large group of 53 gymnasts, in Grades 8-12. She placed 22nd on bars, 25th on beam 35th on vault and floor exercises, and finished 42nd in the all-around.
Collins trains with North Valley Gymnastics in Vernon and is coached by Christina Williams.
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It was the first BCSS Provincial Championship competition for all three gymnasts as high school gymnastics is new to the Okanagan Valley. They all did well, in the overcrowded gymnasium and the very tight quarters didn’t seem to affect their performance too much.
For more information about High School Gymnastics please contact either gymnastics club and also go on www.bcschoolsports.ca.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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