Talented gymnasts Chelsea Criado, Tahlia Griffiths, and Keira Dolley have done their training base Carmel and Co proud at the recent NSW Championships.
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The trio of high performance gymnasts yielded fantastic results at the event. The competition was used as part of a selection process for the state team to compete at this year's National Championships.
Level 10 junior Criado was named in the national team following her performances which saw her claim the title of state champion in her division. She placed first on the beam, third on uneven bars, third on vault, fifth on the floor.
Criado will go on to represent NSW in the upcoming National Australian Gymnastics Championships held in the Gold Coast in May.
Her team member and fellow level 10 junior gymnast Griffiths also qualified to represent NSW as an individual athlete for the Australian Championships. She came away with sixth place on uneven bars, sixth place on beam, and a sixth again overall.
Meanwhile level 8 senior gymnast Dolley achieved gold as beam champion. She also placed sixth on uneven bars, fourth on floor, and second overall. As a result, she has been selected as the border challenge reserve for the NSW level 8 team.
Carmel Blades, head coach and owner of Carmel and Co was thrilled for the girls.
"I'm so proud of the girls hard work and efforts in training and at the state championships," Blades said.
"Lots of new skills have been completed for the first time on the comp floor and the girls are very happy to have qualified to compete on the national stage."
Established in 1990 by Blades, current memberships at the club is around 500 in all programmes with more than 15 coaches including trainees.
Fellow local gymnastics clubs alike swooped home at the state championships in Rooty Hill.
Athletes from four Wollongong clubs combined for more than 30 medals at the prestigious competition in Rooty Hill, which was open for artistic, trampoline and acrobatic gymnasts.
Headlining the strong form of Illawarra clubs was Oak Flats Albion Park Gymnastics and Acrobatics Club, which picked up 15 medals (mostly gold).
Wollongong City Gymnastics also picked up 10 medals, while South Coast Gymnastics Academy tasted some success at the championships.
Jordan Warren
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
