Updated On: July 10, 2013
By Dan Plouffe (http://sportsottawa.com/)
Kristin Polegato and Cleo Page of the Ottawa Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs were crowned provincial champions and numerous local athletes reached the podium at the Ontario rhythmic gymnastics championships in Etobicoke in early June.
For Polegato, it was a first individual all-around title as she won the Level 6A (age 16+) competition.
“It’s been a goal of mine since I started gymnastics when I was 7,” notes the hoop and ball gold medalist. “I think it was just from all my hard work over the years that finally paid off for me. It feels really good.”
Page earned the second provincial title of her career, although her victory this year was more fulfilling since it came in a higher category, L5B (13-15).
“It was my best performance I’ve ever done at that competition,” says the 2012 L5A silver medalist. “There were many more girls in my level, and it was so rewarding to win among a group of such skilled athletes.”
Page won both the ball and ribbon events, and was bested only in the choice competition. Sarah Manyoki’s strong rope routine was the key in propeling herself to a second-place all-around finish.
“I was really surprised” to win silver, recounts Manyoki, a Kanata Rhythmic Gymnastics Club athlete since age 4. “I thought my ribbon would bring me down, but it didn’t. I was really surprised and happy.”
Sweet silver closing chapter
An all-around silver was far from Danica Goodchild’s mind earlier this season.
For four months during the winter, the Kanata gymnast had a persistent back injury that kept her from practicing some components of her routines. But she got healthy enough to push through and win gold in clubs and ball bronze to place second overall in L6B (16+).
Now the plan is to focus on coaching next season and keep this year’s provincials as a great final competition memory.
“My back still hasn’t gotten all better, so I need to actually let it heal,” Goodchild explains. “I was really hoping to make it count because it was my last one ever.”
Ottawa’s Jaimee Loh (silver, L6A 16+) and Kanata’s Megan Kawai (bronze, L6C 16+) also landed on the all-around podium. Earning event medals were Kanata’s Marie Arsenault, with clubs bronze (L5C 13-15), and Kanata’s Julia Yang, with free silver (L5A 13-15) and Kanata’s Brianna Lu, with free bronze (L4A, 10-12).