A flying Kiwi among new gymnastics Champions

A flying Kiwi among new gymnastics Champions.

And that’s a wrap. The 2018 NZ Gymnastics Championships have entertained, amazed and crowned some brand new national champions.

Misha Koudinov (Auckland) took the NZ Men’s Gymnastics title, in his first competition on home soil in 10 years. During apparatus finals today, he also pulled out his FIG awarded skill ‘the Koudinov’ on the high bar. He hasn’t performed it since World Champs last year, but definitely did not disappoint his home audience with it today.

Isabella Brett (Canterbury) is the 2018 NZ Women’s Gymnastics Champion. This is Isabella’s first Nationals in 2 years, as the World Championships kept her away last year. Isabella will head back to the World Championships in a couple of weeks, for her second consecutive year.

Stella Ebert (Auckland) retained her NZ title for rhythmic gymnastics, after winning it as a junior last year. This is the last competition for what has been a busy year for Stella. She was one of the youngest of the NZ Team at Gold Coast 2018, then competed at the Australian Championships before World Cups in Minsk and Kazan before performing at the World Championships in Bulgaria last month. A well-deserved rest is on the cards for her now.

Hannah Wilton (Auckland) won her first NZ Aerobics national title today. After achieving what she wanted to in artistic, Hannah chose to combine her gymnastics skills with her dancing background, and found a perfect fit in aerobics. Hannah is aiming for World Champs in 2020.

Blake Costley (Gymsports Manukau) won the NZ Men’s Trampoline title and Alexa retained her NZ Women’s Trampoline title. Alexa also retained her NZ Women’s Double-mini title as she leads in to World Championships next month where she will compete both trampoline and double-mini. Campbell Robertson (Canterbury) won the NZ Men’s Double-mini title.

“It is fantastic to be immersed in all five of our sports at one time. It not only shows the standards at which our technical committees, coaches and judges are building our athletes to, but the camaraderie and connections that our sports enable our community to create. Throw in an Olympian and his named skill and you get a four day spectacle like few others.” Tony Compier, CEO Gymnastics NZ.

Ends.

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