GymStars End Their Season with a National Champion and another State All-Around Champion

During the weekend of May 2 – 4, the Chantilly Academy Gymnastics GymStars competed in two different meets, bringing their outstanding 2013-2014 season to a close. 

Level 9 GymStar Olivia Norman of Herndon competed at the USA Gymnastics Level 9 Eastern Championship in Bradenton, FL, held May 2 - 4.  Approximately 384 athletes, representing the top Level 9 gymnasts in the eastern half of the United States, competed over three days.  Norman had an outstanding meet, claiming a share of the title of Eastern National Vault Champion with a score of 9.600, and taking third in the all-around with a score of 37.325 for the Sr. 2 division! Contributing to her all-around score were scores of 9.225 on uneven bars, 9.225 on balance beam, and a 9.275 on floor exercise.

The Virginia USA Gymnastics Level 3 State Championship Meet was held May 3 – 4 at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, VA, where approximately 606 gymnasts competed.  The Chantilly Academy GymStars had several top placements, including an All-Around State Champion!  Level 3 GymStar Briana Garrido of Fairfax was the State Champion on vault, uneven bars, floor exercise and all-around, and took 2nd place on balance beam in the 10-Sr-2 group. Earlier this season, Garrido scored a perfect 10.000 on floor exercise—the first GymStar to do so!  Other top finishes included:

• Alara Donmez of Fairfax placed 3rd on bars, 6th on beam and 4th all-around; Elle Ouimet of Ashburn placed 3rd on beam and 5th on vault; and Natalie Zamora of Clifton placed 5th on beam in the 11-Jr-1 group.
• Sabrina Villaflor of Oak Hill placed 5th on floor, 6th on vault, and 7th all-around; and Emery Steinberg, also of Oak Hill, placed 6th on bars in the 9-Jr-1 group.
• Lauren Cusack of Fairfax placed 7th on floor in the 8-Sr-3 group.
• Danica Dougan of Oak Hill tied for 3rd on beam, and placed 5th on both bars and all-around in the 8-Sr-2 group.
• Annette Hopkins of Herndon tied for 6th place on bars in the 8-Sr-1 group.
• Stella Bleeze of Clifton placed 6th on beam in the 8-Jr-3 group.
• In the 8-Jr-2 group Christine Bare of Oak Hill placed 4th on floor; Kacey Hu, also of Oak Hill, placed 5th on beam and floor, and 8th all-around; and Kendall Viar of Fairfax placed 8th on beam.
• Tenia Ray of Bristow placed 6th on vault in the 7-Jr-2 group.

Other Level 3 GymStars State qualifiers who competed at the Championship meet included Madelein Fechter of Stone Ridge, Brigette Stefanish of Centreville, Samantha Bullock of Chantilly, Carrie Resta and Katrina Czikra of Fairfax, Elise Jeffries of Oak Hill, and Christina Fugate of South Riding.  We are very proud of our Level 3 GymStars taking home the 9th Place Team Award out of 47 teams competing at the meet!

The GymStars have started training for the next season and will celebrate their accomplishments at their end of the year banquet this week.  Join the GymStars and cheer them on in September during their 5th Annual Cartwheel-a-thon, when they raise money for Children’s Miracle Network and their next season travel.