Sunshine Coast’s young gymnastics stars of 2024
Dedication, determination, poise and passion are all part of the package in the sport of gymnastics, and these little pocket rockets have perfected the art of twisting contortions, tumbling, tricks and handsprings to wow the crowd.
Sunshine Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sunshine Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
From a frighteningly flexible contortionist to tumbling, acro and vault performers, these little gymnasts have put their whole heart into perfecting their performance.
From competitions and festivals to simply enjoying gymnastics wholeheartedly as a recreational sport, each and every one of these young stars have their own motivations and dreams to fulfil.
Some of these athletes have been tumbling from as young as two and others have spent half their lives dedicated to the sport.
Meet these little pocket rockets of 2024:
YMCA Fitness & Gymnastics Caloundra
Zoe Rose Paxevanos, 12
Zoe has been flexing her skills for one and a half years, becoming particularly fond of floor exercises and performing on bars and beam.
Competing has been the highlight of her gymnast career so far after she snatched up a ribbon during her very first competition.
Zoe said she had been wanting to do gymnastics since she was little and she hopes to reach level seven and continue competing in the future.
Sophie Win Groll, 10
Sophie particularly loves tumbling and vaulting after doing gymnastics for about four years.
She decided she wanted to try the sport after her friend began gymnastics, Sophie said.
Her biggest achievement so far has been competing and she hopes to nail a back handspring back tuck in the future.
Catherine Louise Wegener, 13
Catherine was first introduced to the idea of trying gymnastics after she saw someone on television and began her journey almost three years ago.
Her highlight of gymnastics has been scoring first place at all-around – using various apparatuses – and vault at a level five state competition.
Catherine said her dream is to make it onto the state team and achieve level 10 in gymnastics.
Amelie Kaya Green, 13
Amelie first began her journey as a gymnast when she was two, but returned to the sport again when she was six.
She has been doing it ever since.
“I love all parts of gymnastics but my favourites depend on how I am going or feeling that day,” she said.
Amelie said she started the sport because it was fun, but then became to appreciate learning new skills and competing.
She hopes to successfully pull off bigger tricks and improve her skills so she can move to higher levels and take part in state and regional competitions.
Ellise Maree Bolt, 12
Ellise was inspired to try the sport after watching her brother perform cool tricks.
She has placed first in competitions multiple times since she started her gymnastics career three years ago.
Ellise said her favourite act is gymnastics acro – or acrobatics – and tumbling.
Her biggest achievement so far has been reaching level seven in the sport after only two years and she has placed first in multiple competitions.
Ellise said she hoped to someday make the state team.
Kartwheel Kids Gymnastics and Circus
Gemma Butler-Crennan, 11
Gemma has been practising gymnastics for about four years, taking a particular shining to aerial work and using the mini trampoline.
She also likes to perform acro with her mother.
One of her biggest achievements is receiving the national story award with her class at Wakakirri National Story-Dance Festival in 2022.
Gemma said she began gymnastics when her mother encouraged her in order to form abdominal muscles and improve her focus for school work.
“I like gymnastics because there is always something new to learn and challenges like being part of a world record in cup stacking are fun too,” she said.
He future goals in the sport is to keep having fun and learn new things.
“It is good that I don’t have pressure to compete and can do the sport just because I love it,” Gemma said.
Ivy Steele, 13
Ivy has been doing gymnastics for six years and has been improving her flexibility to show off her contortion skills.
Alongside contortion, she also enjoys performing tricks on the trampoline, she said.
Her best achievements have been performing at Wakakirri and local fetes on top of her work developing her contortion skills.
Ivy first became interested in the sport after watching gymnasts on television, thinking she would “really like to do that.”
Her future goal is to gain a career in the circus to show off her contortion performances.
Maddison Altman, 17
Maddison started with Kartwheel Kids in 2014, marking 10 years on her gymnastics journey.
Some of her favourite acts include tumbling and performing on the trampoline.
Her highlights have been performing at Wakakirri in 2015 and at the Australian Circus Festival in 2019.
Maddison was trying out acrobatic tricks and moves at home from the age of seven, prompting her to look for a fun and non-competitive gymnastics school to join.
Maddison said she hadn’t looked back since.
She hopes to continue gymnastics for as long as she can in order to stay fit, learn new skills and strengthening her performance.
Rosa-Leigh Hobson, 10
Rosa-Leigh has been enjoying gymnastics for half her life, starting her journey five years ago.
She decided to try the sport after she watched gymnastics performances at school and events.
Rosa-Leigh said she loves gymnastics because it is never boring and her classes always have something new and fun going on to try out.
The 10-year-old is currently working towards a back handspring and her dream is to one day compete in the Olympics.
Snake bite surge: 15 strikes in days across Qld
A snake expert who catches chook-pen pythons to huge eastern browns in the burbs has spoken out as bite callouts increase across Qld and one region emerges as a deadly hotspot. SEE THE LIST.
Watch: 10 rescues in hours as swimmers smashed by 2m tide, rips
Rough conditions have caught swimmers off guard on the Sunshine Coast amid a busy festival. It comes after a woman was pulled from the surf in a life-threatening condition further south on the Gold Coast. PHOTOS, VIDEO.