Level four gymnasts at the club Lucy Lynch, Hayley Andrews, Isobel Kerlin, Summer Beckmann, Machayla Hayes, Paige Albon and Olivia Clemens will be off to the Sydney Gymnastics and Aquatic Centre to take on the state’s top competitors in their division. 

Both gymnastics co-ordinator Mel Proust and coach Lauren Clemens are thrilled to see the progress the group has made over the course of 2017.

“We’re really proud. Not only am I proud of the gymnasts but I’m also proud of Lauren, who has come from gymnastics and we’re now training up to be a coach. Empowering her to be a great coach is what every mentor wants,” she said.

“What was surprising about this comp is that we weren’t expecting great results. I would have been happy with mid-field scores but we ended up getting high eights and nines. We got some great scores and that was so exciting for the girls.

“That was their first competition. None of these girls had competed before, so that’s why we weren’t expecting a lot but to come out with our girls being able to go to state, and some good scores, is amazing.”

Beckmann was the highest achiever for the team as she picked up two 9’s and two high 8’s at the Parramatta qualifier.

Proust hopes the seven-strong group take plenty away from the upcoming competition.

“We only started competing this year to get some competition experience. We weren’t expecting to do more than one or two comps but they’ve managed to make it to state, and they’ll over there and get some great experience,” she said.

“I came from Sydney so when you’re from there and competing in the big gyms you’re used to that, but coming from Bathurst and seeing these gyms with all the new equipment can be daunting for the girls, so it’s going to be great for them to experience that competition.”

The level four State Championships will be held over September 9 and 10.