New Zealand Gymnasts at the Victoria Championships

Several elite gymnasts from New Zealand competed at the 2013 Victorian Championships held in Australia last weekend. These included Jordan Rae, Anna Tempero and Samara Maxwell in the senior division and Charlotte Sullivan, Millie Williamson, Hanna Malloch, Mackenzie Slee, Courtney McGregor and Tara Purvis in the junior division. All girls train at the Christchurch School of Gymnastics, with the exception of Jordan (Tristar Gymnastics, Auckland), Samara (Impact Gymsport Academy, Auckland) and Mackenzie (Hutt Valley Gymsports, Lower Hutt).

New Zealand's Junior elite team and coaches from a competition in Perth earlier this year (front: Mackenzie Slee, Millie Williamson, Tara Purvis, Charlotte Sullivan ; back: Hanna Malloch, coaches, Courtney McGregor). Photo from NZL Women's Gymnastics Team Facebook page)

Jordan Rae has represented New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo. She also competed at the 2012 London Test Event, achieving good results. Anna Tempero, Samara Maxwell and Mackenzie Slee are newcomers to the elite stage, after moving out of the New Zealand 'steps' system (see here for an explanation of this system).

Jordan at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi

Last weekend the girls competed against Victoria's best gymnasts including Georgia-Rose Brown, Kiara Munteanu (seniors), Alex Eade and Eliza Freeman (juniors). Charlotte Sullivan was 3rd in the junior all-around (behind Eliza Freeman and Alex Eade) with a combined score of 97.450. Jordan Rae finished 4th in the senior all-around (94.53). Apparatus placings are listed below.

Juniors

Charlotte Sullivan (CSG): 2nd beam, 3rd bar, 3rd floor 

Hanna Malloch (CGS): 3rd beam

Mackenzie Slee (HVG): 2nd vault

Courtney McGregor (CSG): 1st vault

Seniors

Jordan Rae (TRI): 2nd vault, 2nd beam, 2nd floor and 3rd bar

Samara Maxwell (AGA): 3rd floor

These are great results for New Zealand's relatively new elite teams, who have already had some competitive experience this year in Perth and at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. Particularly promising are the talented group of juniors who we expect to see much more of in the coming years.

Courtney performing a switch leap (photo by Nadia Boyce, photographer for The Couch Gymnast, used with permission)

Article by Imogen Browne (Follow this blog on Twitter at @IFlip4gymblog)