Greta gets it just right

Achieving a “perfect” score at any level is tough – but imagine doing it in just your second year of competition?

That’s just what eight-year-old Blenheim gymnast Greta Foote did recently at the Top of the South championships staged in Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre.

Greta, part of a 27-strong Blenheim Gymnastics Club contingent who made the trip west, was awarded a perfect score of 10 from 10 for her uneven bars routine.

Competing in the recreational iron class, Greta produced a superb routine to earn the judges’ plaudits. Making her feat even more special was the fact she is so new to the demanding sport and her perfect 10 was achieved in her first proper competition for over a year, Covid curtailing many of the planned 2020 events.

“[Scoring a 10] is very rare,” said Greta’s coach Heather Cresswell. “It would have been three or four years since we last had someone do that.

“Greta was just over the moon. So was her mum and, as her coach, I was even more excited. She’s going to go a long way in the sport.”

Gymnastic competition is split into recreational and competitive grades, with the Blenheim club achieving success in both areas.

In the competitive grade, Alice Watene, Anna Dasler and Emile MacKay were placed first overall in their respective grades while step 5 gymnast Tess Tate was placed first in her vault routine.

Several of the recreational group also picked up overall wins. They were Emelia Eteveneaux, Mackenzie Hall, Greta Foote, Sammie Williams and Ben Storey.

Next up for the BGC crew is the Marlborough Gymnastic champs which are scheduled for May 15-16 at Stadium 2000 and will involve over 450 athletes.

Heather is looking forward to the home event, suggesting “I am sure we are going to have a few more on the podium there”.

Recreational results

Grade 1 girls: Emelia Eteveneaux 1 overall; Jasmine Clarke 2 overall.

Grade 2 girls: Mackenzie Hall 1 overall; Kelsey Dick 2 overall; Jade Hall 3 overall; Zoey Stone 1 floor; Abigail De Jager 3 floor.

Iron girls: Greta Foote 1 overall (with a perfect 10 on bars); Keira Leigh Wilkenson 2 overall; Lucy Bridgen 3 overall; Stella Greenwood 3 beam and 3 floor.

Bronze girls: Sammie Williams 1 overall; Alexis Menzie 2 vault; Lily Holdaway 2 floor.

Gold girls: Abi Maskill 3 floor.

Elite girls: Addison Gousmett 3 vault, 1= beam.

Silver boys: 1 Overall Ben Storey.

Competitive results

Step 3 – overs: Alice Watene 1 overall; unders: Anna Dasler 1 overall.

Step 1: Emile MacKay 1 overall.

Step 5: Tess Tate 1 vault.

Step 6: Tyler Higgens 2 vault, 2 floor.