DMGA Gymnasts return with Medals Posted: 6th March 09

5th March 09

Five gymnasts from De Mond Gymnastics Academy have returned from the Hampshire Gymnastics Association Mega Gym Competition in Andover last weekend with a whole host of medals. In total 341 gymnasts took part in the competition composed of various different levels. The De Mond Academy girls took part in the white level competition in which they performed a floor and vault events displaying elements of strength and poise during their floor routines and well executed, powerful vaults. The youngest competitor Emma Greenwood (7) enjoyed taking part in her first ever competition in which she showed great enthusiasm and confidence, she displayed great floor work with full extension in all her work to finish a fabulous 9th place overall in her age group out of 23 other competitors. Also finishing 9th in her age group was Isabel Lowthorpe (9) who performed with great composure throughout both events. Isabel displayed great flexibility and grace during her floor exercise and performed her vault with ease. Nine-year-old Nicole Greenwood put in a tremendous effort to return with overall third place and the Bronze medal, with her elegance on the floor Nicole won this event and placed third on the vault. In the next age group both academy girls made the podium with Amber Hahn taking the silver medal and Skye Oeillet taking the Bronze. In this round Skye came first on the vault, performing with great height and extension in her work. Amber competed with determination and confidence, her performances were near perfection on both apparatus and she was a credit herself for all the hard work she had put in over the weeks during training and also a credit to the Academy.

All Academy members now look forward to the Easter Holiday training Camp over the next two weeks.

Retton House win the Trophy at DMGA’s Fun Day Posted: 5th March 09

4th March 09

The first De Mond Gymnastics Academy Fun Day ran smoothly with some of the members enjoying various games and events to win their team extra House points to add to the Term total. The gymnasts took part in challenges on the beam, bars and ropes, also had sack and egg and spoon races and the most popular events being the ‘high bounce and roller bowler. Comaneci House member Emily Durance (10) held the longest split handstand on the beam with a time of 1 minute twenty eight seconds but unable to beat her record of 2 minutes 5 seconds. Squad members Teigan Purkiss (9) and Rachelle Flambard (8) gained 40 house points each for Retton and Korbut House’s respectively for performing 80 Chin Up’s with a circle over the bar.  Retton House member Molly McCaffrey (4) had the most attempts at the high bounce event and Comaneci member Rachel Haws (7) had the most successful attempts at the Rope Climb earning the most points in this event. The points were added up at the end of the event to reveal the Spring Term overall scores, in third place was Comaneci with 3067 points, second place Korbut with 3439 points and the winning House sporting Turquoise ribbons on the House Trophy was Retton with 3680 points. The awards for Gymnast of the Spring Term for the General Programme was Emma Pinto and the Squad Gymnast receiving Gymnast of the Spring Term was Madison Fossey, both girls received a shield for their achievements. DMGA members now look forward to the Academy’s fund raising event on Good Friday at the Le Quennevais sports track.

Southern Region Final Qualification for DMGA Quartet

29th March 09

In their first ever competition the Grade 14 quartet from De Mond Gymnastics Academy not only passed their grade but also passed with a high enough score, making them eligible to compete at the Southern Region Finals in Milton Keynes later this month. Taryn Pontin, Hanna Clark, Grace Corfield and Erin Garraghan performed all of their elements for the vault, bars, beam and floor events with ease, showing great degrees of strength and poise during their routines. One area where the girls particularly excelled was on the Range and Conditioning event. Here all four gymnasts showed fabulous control during the strength exercises and superb flexibility in all range of splits. At Grade 13 Melanie Anderson again gave a great performance on the Range and Conditioning exercise to score 11.350 and team mates Elli Heyes and Hannah Galvin put in a great effort at Grade 12. Elli performed a brilliant bar routine to place her second on this event with a score of 11.550.
The girls now look forward to the De Mond Gymnastics Academy Easter Training Camp over the holiday period in preparation for the Southern Region Finals.

DMGA Gymnasts return with National Grades Success Posted: 01 March 09

Five gymnasts from De Mond Gymnastics Academy returned from their National Grades this weekend with many reason to be pleased with their achievements and success.
The events included a total of 13 different clubs from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire. The Academy was the only club in Jersey to have members compete at this level competition. Three gymnasts competing at Grade 8, Emily Durance (10), Teigan Purkiss (9) and Bonita Shurmer (9) all showed great composure and determination throughout the competition, which involved a total of 34 gymnasts at this Grade. The mot pleasing results seen from the girls was from the Range and Conditioning event with all three showing superb control and precision during this particularly demanding routine that requires a huge degree of strength and flexibility. Emily delivered her routine with great skill to achieve 4th place overall with a score of 11.10 on this event and 9th place overall apparatus. The girls all performed well flighted and powerful handspring vaults to solid landings. During their bar routines all three executed well connected routines with high casts and secure landings, with Teigan making a tremendous improvement on this apparatus putting her in good stead for future competitions. Bonita achieved a great score of 11.30 for her bar routine, placing her 8th out of 34 gymnasts. With beam always being the most difficult to perform under competition pressure, the girls coped very well with it being their first apparatus of the day, taking on high jumps with full 180° split and secure spins.

At Grade 7 the DMGA twins Olivia and Charlotte Pollard (10) both gave exceptional performances to place seventh and sixth overall. Starting on the tough Range and Conditioning exercise the duo delivered clean routines to pass this event with good strength and flexibility qualities, paying dividend to the hard work and demanding programme they adhere to during their training sessions. Both girls performed fast and highly flighted vaults to secure landings. On bars the twins performed their giant swings with good technique and built up to a well connected dismount, with Charlotte placing 4th overall on this apparatus with a score of 11.75. Moving onto beam the girls enjoyed solid routines with no falls, they showed elements of strength during their Russian lever mounts and with Olivia demonstrating exceptional grace and poise throughout her leaps and spin elements. Finishing on floor the twins delivered beautiful routines with huge split leaps, powerfully high tumbles with good somersaults and clean, secure landings. Coaches from other clubs once again mentioning their aesthetically pleasing dance elements choreographed into their routines, encompassing the DMGA style of performance.

Elite Squad Training Day Posted: 15th Feb 09

The Elite members of DMGA enjoyed a days training at Portsmouth Gymnastics Centre in
preparation for the forthcoming National and Regional Grades this March.

This gave the girls a trial run to perform all their routines and a chance to enjoy the pitted
facility.

February Half Term Posted: 13th Feb 09

This February half term DMGA are looking forward to the second squad conditioning league on the 21st Feb, and the general gymnastics training camp from the 17th until 20th Feb.

Southern Region Squad Training Posted:1st Feb 09

DMGA members Rachelle and Charlotte recently returned from a successful training weekend as part of the Southern
Region Team.

The session was taken by Plamen Litcher who conducted
warm up and conditioning exercises where the gymnasts
learnt new and challenging skills.
This was a great opportunity to work on all of the skills
involved in the elite grades which will be held at Portsmouth
Gymnastics Centre, giving the girls a good opportunity to get
a feel for the equipment.
Both Rachelle and Charlotte have made good friends with
the other Southern Region Squad members from Aylesbury
Gymnastics Academy, Bulmershe And Chalfont gymnastics clubs.