Ultimate gym season off to great start
It may be early in the competitive season but the young athletes from Ultimate Gymnastics of Gurnee have their skills and routines honed and ready to go. The girls from Levels 3 through 7 were in action recently at the Illinois Judges Cup, held at the Legends Sports Complex in Bourbonnais, and there was much to celebrate.
"The girls started off the season magnificently," commented Coach Stacy Wall. "All together we won 39 first places at our first meet. We have a whole season full of good things ahead."
The Level 3 and 4 teams placed second at the meet while the teams from Levels 5, 6 and 7 each took first place.
For the Level 7 girls the win meant more than a great season opener and another banner for the gym, it qualified them to represent Illinois at the National Judges Cup meet, to be held in January in Kentucky.
Individual highlights from the meet included:
Level 3 - Angelina Appelbaum lead the way with four gold medals - placing first on bars, beam, floor and in the all-around in the Under 7 age group while teammate Lyla Drowne took the vault title and was second on bars. In the 8 year old age group Olivia Auriol placed first on vault and was runner-up on floor and in the all-around.
Level 4 - In the 8 and under age group Sienna Heizer was dominant, taking the vault and bars titles, placing second on floor and winning the all-around. Alyssah Arends was runner up on uneven bars. In the 9 year old division Emily Morrison placed first on floor and second all-around, Mackenzie Liebau came away with a silver medal on vault and tied for second on floor with teammate Josie Gates. In the 11 year old age group Emily Chabraja had an excellent meet, placing first on vault, floor and in the all-around.
Level 5 - Jillian Ellenwood got her season off to a good start in the 9 and under age group with gold medals on vault and bars, while teammate Sarah Arends took home bronze on vault and floor. In the 10 year old age group Chloe Byrne took the all-around title, claiming gold on bars and floor and silver on vault in the process. Annika Chudy was runner up on floor while Emma Haas placed third on both beam and floor. In the 11 year old group Madison Miks won the floor title with Lindsay Fontana second on bars and Payal Sutaria runner-up on beam.
Level 6 - With four golds and a silver to her name, Olivia Roebuck lead the way for the Level 6s in the 13 and older age group while Sophie Prozument and Madeline Medica placed second on floor and vault respectively. In the 12 year old division Kayleigh Glickley notched up four gold medals and a bronze, with Claire Kauppila second on vault. In the 11 year old age group Ana Raquel won the all around title plus gold medals on vault and floor exercise and in the 10 and under age group Peri Arkin took first on bars.
Level 7 - Lea Alatzakis had a strong meet, winning the vault and bars title plus the all-around in the 14 and over age group with teammate Riley Finnegan runner-up on bars and in the all-around. In the 13 year old division, Jenna Ritzert came away with three titles - bars, beam and all-around while Hannah McCue was second on vault and beam. In the 10 years and under group Anna Becker tied for first on vault and was runner-up in the all-around, while Ashley Derrick placed first on floor and Kylee Johnston was second on bars. Gianna Pasquesi came away with three bronze medals - vault, bars and floor - in the 13 year old session.