Submitted by Glacier Gymnastics
Four local athletes from Glacier Gymnastics qualified to compete at the 2022 BC Winter Games in Vernon.
Thirteen gymnasts from the Kootenays competed for one of the six spots on the Zone 1 BC Winter Games Team. Anouk Prudhomme, Asia Szczepanski, Anni van Hellemond and Macy Loutit took the top four spots at the virtual trials that took place, Dec. 18 to 30, 2021.
Anouk Prud’homme, 13 years old, won the event and also captured the gold medals for vault, beam and floor. Asia Szczepanski, 13, was close behind in second place, with a gold-medal performance on bars and silver on beam.
Glacier’s youngest participant, 11-year-old Anni van Hellemond rounded out the podium in third place, with a silver medal on floor and bronze medals for vault, bars and beam. Macy Loutit, 13, finished just behind her teammates in fourth place, with a silver medal on bars and a bronze on floor.
Head coach Sandra Long said the coaching staff was a little bit nervous heading into this competition because the club hasn’t been to an in-person competition since the COVID pandemic started in 2020.
“We haven’t seen what other club’s routines look like for almost two years. It makes it more challenging to gauge how your gymnasts are progressing compared to other club’s gymnasts.”
Long said everyone on the team made at least one major error, and all the girls are currently training hard to improve on their routines for when they compete at the BC Winter Games.
“We are proud of the girls for making the team. They have returned to training inspired and motivated to improve their scoring potential.”
The level of gymnastics at the BC Winter Games is very high and the team will be competing against gymnasts who train four-to-eight hours more per week. Long says that all four 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 BC Winter Games Medals.”
The BC Winter Games takes place in Vernon, Feb 24 to 27.
For more information contact Sandra Long at sandra@glaciergymnastics.com.