The Australian Gymnastics Championships has returned to the Gold Coast from 10th-25th May, 2023. This year, seven local competitors have joined the fray, representing both Queensland and the Albany Creek Gymnastics Club.
For the past three years, the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre has hosted the Championships, with more than 1300 Australian and New Zealander athletes competing for titles. For the past three years, gymnasts from ACGC have earned positions amongst the competitive cohort.
In order to represent Queensland at such a prestigious level, it takes years of hard yakka and honing skill, with the required qualification being gymnasts at level 7-10 ability. Th gymnasts must train for 8-15 years and between 13-20 hours a week to accomplish such a feat. Their Head Coach reveals, ‘It is a huge achievement to get selected on the Queensland Team. A maximum of 8 guys per level are selected, so you are fighting a lot of people for those spots. For these guys, this is their premier event. This is what they have been training toward for years.’
2023 has seen the largest cohort of ACGC gymnasts being selected for representation, with 7 boys in total making the cut. This includes Oska Middleton and Nathan Levey (Level 10 Queensland Team), Nicholas Koops (Level 10 Individual), Carter Blair (Level 9 Individual), Harrison Boyd and Dylan Willis (Level 8 Queensland Team), James Wraight (Level 7 Queensland Team). For many of these young athletes, winning a medal at Nationals is the goal they have always trained to achieve—and it is achievable. Multiple individual apparatus and team medals have been earned by ACGC gymnasts at these Championships in the past.
Often, opportunities arise for performers to be selected onto Australian teams as well, which is another future goal of the ACGC boys. This year, their focus was just making sure they were practiced and mentally prepared for the competition. Head Coach shares, ‘The stress levels were a little high as they pushed themselves to be prepared as possible. But they couldn’t wait to get out there.’
The stress and dedication paid off in the end, thankfully, with some outstanding results being earned. James won gold with his Level 7 team, whilst Harry and Dylans’ team won gold for Level 8. Dylan also won silver on rings individually, and bronze on pommel. Oska and Nathan won silver within their Level 10 team.
Congratulations to all involved in the Australian Gymnastics Championships!