Submitted by Glacier Gymnastics
Three local Glacier Gymnasts have qualified to compete at the 2024 B.C. Winter Games in Quesnel.
Nine gymnasts from the Kootenay Zone competed for one of the six spots on the Zone 1 BC Winter Games Team. Rebecka van Hellemond, Anika Denkovski and Emerson Mandseth took the top three spots at the trials, which took place Dec. 16 in Nelson.
Van Hellemond, 13, won the event and also captured the gold medals for bars and beam and bronze on floor. Denkovski, 14, was close behind in second place, with a silver-medal performance on bars and bronze on beam. Fourteen-year-old Mandseth rounded out the podium in third place, with a silver medal on floor and beam.
The Glacier coaching team was a bit nervous heading into this competition because all the gymnasts had to move up a level this season in order to compete at the trials.
“We were unsure how the girls would compare to the other Zone Level 7 gymnasts”, said head coach Sandra Long. “All three girls worked really hard over the last four months, learning new skills to add into their routines.”
Everyone on the team continues to focus on improving their routines for the B.C. Winter Games competition in Quesnel, Feb. 22 to 25.
“We are proud of the girls for making the team,” said Long. “They have returned to training inspired and motivated to increase their scoring potential.”
The level of gymnastics at the Games is very high and the team will be competing against gymnasts that train four-to-eight hours more per week. Long says that all three girls are up for the challenge.
“They are dedicated to do their best at the Games. They are an accomplished team and there is a very good chance for them to return home to Nelson with one or more B.C. Winter Games medals.”
For more information contact Sandra Long at sandra@glaciergymnastics.com.