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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

No rest for gymnasts as NY beckons

Bermuda gymnastics team will have no time to rest on their laurels as they are set to test their mettle against the best gymnasts in New York this coming weekend.Following the recently completed IGI Chicago Style Gymnastics Invitational, the team must now gear up for another two days of rigourous competition in the US.Morgan Beckles, Tabytha Hofheins, Sydney Mason, Danielle Wall, Zantae Dill, Sadia Wilson, Tais Burgess-Allen and Zekiah Lewis will all make the trek to New York, with only Clara James missing the trip from the team that took part in Chicago.The nine athletes joined over 3,000 other youngsters to perform at what is called the largest gymnastics meet in the world.Team captain Beckles and 13-year-old Hofheins took centre stage in Chicago, with Beckles earning two medals, on the vaulting and uneven bars, with an 8.5 and an 8.65 respectively.Hofheins debuted a new bar routine on the uneven bars, including a release element she has been developing over the past six months.Assistant coach Mandi Baughman is expecting the same level of performance from the girls that she saw in the Windy City to be on display in Manhattan.“We expect for the girls to be more confident after competing in Chicago,” said Baughman. “Although the girls did well overall, there were still some mistakes and they didn’t perform quite as well as they had been practising.“We hope in Manhattan they will be able to brush off some nerves and focus on being competitive and taking out any wobbles or falls, plus we have been working on some finishing touches over the past two weeks including better presentation on their floor routines . . . really performing and smiling throughout their dance skills.“Those little touches are what will give a gymnast the edge over the competition.“Right now our main focus is to improve on Chicago’s scores and build even more momentum as we move towards Island Games.”With expectations high and the girls vying for places on the Island Games, an event where Bermuda reigned supreme in the last time it was held, competition will be tough, not just against the opposition but also amongst team-mates“We are still in the process of selecting the Island Games team.“We are holding a major fundraiser on March 19 so hopefully we will be able to designate most of our team by then.”The team will leave for New York this Thursday.