A trio of gymnasts from Oldmeldrum-based ETKO Gymnastics Academy have returned triumphant from a recent competition south of the border. Kelsey Chapman (11), Ava Mackie (11) and Lily Park (10) all contributed to their club’s medal haul at the Winter Cup 2020, hosted by Robin Hood Gymnastics Club in Sherwood, Nottingham.
The Aberdeenshire gymnasts competed against others from numerous UK clubs in what was their first competition outwith Scotland. Lily Park dominated the Regional Grades level 4 category, taking the overall gold medal following individual wins across vault, bars, beam and floor. Her clubmates Kelsey Chapman and Ava Mackie put in further stronger performances in the Regional Grades Level 2 category, placing silver and bronze overall respectively. Kelsey gained individual gold medals for bars and range and conditioning, plus bronze in beam and floor, while Ava won the gold medal for floor with an additional two bronze medals for vault and range and conditioning.
ETKO Gymnastics club members train within ETKO Sports Academy’s purpose-built centre in Oldmeldrum, which is fully equipped with a sprung floor and foam pit for practising routines and bar work, plus a range of competition-standard apparatus. The club’s competitive programme is led by head coach and former international gymnast Laura Etko, who is also the founder and director of ETKO Sports Academy.
Commenting on the Winter Cup 2020 results, Laura said: “This is the first time that ETKO Gymnastics Academy members have travelled to England to compete. Preparing for – and making – the trip requires a considerable commitment from our gymnasts and their families.
“We are very grateful to our gymnasts, their parents and our ETKO instructors for the efforts that have led to such an overwhelmingly positive set of results. Our thanks also go to the host club, Robin Hood Gymnastics, who were aware of the distance we had travelled and went to extra lengths to make us feel welcome.”
The next fixture in ETKO Gymnastics Academy’s calendar is the JUMP Floor & Vault Competition in Cumbernauld on 8 March. Teams of boys and girls from its school-age and competitive gymnastics programmes will take part in the event.
ETKO Sports Academy, the training home of ETKO Gymnastics Academy, offers gymnastics, wrestling, running and other sporting opportunities for all ages and abilities, from baby gym through to teen and adult fitness classes.