(Lansing,
MI) The YMCA girls gymnastics team won 14 gold first-place medals this weekend
at the Lansing Twistars “Royal Bash” invitational meet. The annual meet, one of Michigan’s largest
invitationals, took on a British theme this year to honor Lansing’s Jordyn Wieber,
at just 16 years old the reigning world champion and U.S. Olympic hopeful. Wieber was on hand to watch the more than
1,000 gymnasts in attendance.
Three
YMCA gymnasts won all-around medals in their divisions.
Patricia
Davis edged out twin sister Amy by less than a point with an all-around score
of 36.625 to win the gold medal at level 7.
Davis captured the crown by winning the first-place gold medal on vault,
beam, and floor, having to settle for second place only on the uneven
bars.
Kayla
Jackson also took first place on vault, beam, and floor to win gold medal
all-around honors in her division.
“Kayla was rock-solid this weekend,” commented coach Jennifer Van Deinse. Jackson finished with a 37.2 all-around score,
including a 9.6 on both beam and floor.
At
level 8, Annie Gerstner’s gold medal 9.15 beam routine and 9.2 vault catapulted
her to first place all-around with a score of 36.3. “Annie had another powerful, impressive
meet,” said coach Gina Van Deinse.
Other
first-place gold medal performances were turned in by Kayla Brady (9.050 bars),
Francie Flores (9.325 floor), and Jade Turner (9.725 beam). “Jade takes great pride in her beam routine,
and really put on an exceptional performance this weekend,” said Van Deinse.
Also
competing for the YMCA team were Ryan Zrimec (level 5), Summer Bennetts (level
5), Darby Drake (level 6), Annemarie Jenkins (level 6), Olivia Flores (level
7), and Kendra Benak (level 8). Bennetts
placed seventh all-around, Turner second all-around, and Brady fourth
all-around. Benak placed third
all-around with second-place routines on bars and floor and a fourth-place
vault. Sisters Francie and Olivia Flores
placed third and fourth all-around, respectively.
The
next meet for the YMCA gymnasts is the Greater Kalamazoo World of Gymnastics
Invitational/State Qualifier to be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan January 21 – 22.
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| Level 7 Amy & Patricia Davis. Twistars Invitational in Lansing |
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| Level 8 Annie Gerstner. At Twistars 1/6-1/8/2012 Lansing |
