List: 30 NSW gymnasts to watch at Australian championships as they chase world, Olympic dreams
They blew the competition away in 2022. Now NSW are out for a repeat display at the Australian gymnastics championships. Teen stars, guns to watch as they chase world and Olympic dreams.
Local
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local. Followed categories will be added to My News.
They blew their rivals away at last year's Australian gymnastics championships.
Now NSW are out for a repeat performance at the 2023 event being held on the Gold Coast.
Team Gymnastics NSW numbers 440 gymnasts who will be competing at the two week event starting on May 7 with both pride and passion.
And the team is out to potentially top their extraordinary haul of 127 gold, 103 silver and 86 bronze collected at the Australian championships just a year ago.
The event doubles as a selection for various national squads and is crucial for athletes wanting to perform on the world stage as they chase world and Olympic sized dreams.
We’ve spoke to the experts at Gymnastics NSW and come up with a fascinating list of some of the major players at the Australian championships and the sport’s rising stars.
Ritam Malik, 16, Sydney Hills Gymnastics, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Multiple national champion and rising star Ritam will compete at the inaugural Australian Junior Classic against international peers over the course of the Australian Gymnastics Championships.
A big goal is to his all-around Australian champion of men’s artistic title after he came first in all around in Level 9 Under 15.
In 2022 he won gold on floor, pommel, rings, parallel bars and high bar. he also picked dup a bronze on vault.
This year he’s made life tougher for himself, moving up to the Level 9 Under 18 division.
Lukina Lu, 13, Manly Warringah Gymnastic Club, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
The daughter of two gymnastics coaches this young gun has been doing gymnastics since she was two and could be on curse o compete at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
At the nationals she will compete in the junior international division where she is hoping to better her silver on the beam with a gold medal and higher all around ranking in the
same division.
“I love the feeling of flying in the air and being able to flip around,” she says. “My favourite apparatus is bars, because I love the satisfaction of hitting a perfect routine. But even if it isn’t perfect, it’s still fun.”
Anna Barsukova, 12, Le Ray Gymnastics Academy, Rhythmic Gymnastics
Anna, who started rhythmic gymnastics as a four-year-old, is the reigning all around champion of the sub junior division after winning gold in all but one apparatus last year when she finished with a silver for her ball routine.
Now she’s competing in the pre junior division where to hopes to repeat her impressive performance.
She also has a dream of competing at our home Olympics in 2032.
“I love to perform on the floor in all the apparatus,” she said. “My goal is to make it to the Brisbane Olympics.”
Chase Buxton, 12, PCYC Campbelltown/NSW High Performance Centre, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Chase is competing at his first Australian titles in the Level 7 but comes in with great results after impressing at the recent state championships with an impressive haul of six gold medals and a silver in men’s artistic gymnastics.
Like Anna, he also has a dream of competing at his sports biggest events – the Olympics and world championships.
“Next I want to go to the World Championships and then I want to get to the Olympics, hopefully Brisbane,” he said.
Heath Thorpe, 22, Shire Gymnastics/NSW High Performance Centre, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Heath has been making waves internationally for bringing artistry to his floor routines with the 22-year-old expected to make waves in Queensland.
Last year he won silver in floor and vault, and a bronze in rings.
He helped NSW defend its title as the men’s team champions at the recent state titles and will also be competing at the Artistic Continental Championships where Australia is looking to qualify a team for the FIG Artistic World Championships in Belgium.
His upcoming performance will also influence his bid to make it to the 2024 Paris Olympics as an Australian team member.
Mina Ju, 13, All Starz Gymnastics and Dance, Aerobic Gymnastics
Mina has quickly climbed up the ranks after switching to aerobic gymnastics from
women’s artistic and will be competing in the gymsport at the Australian titles for the first time.
She's one to watch after representing Australia in aerobic gymnastics in Portugal.
Imogen Schuitemaker, 14, Manly Warringah Gymnastic Club, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Imogen is one the comeback from an injury in 2022 and is the only NSW athlete in the junior international division at the Australian titles.
She is also vying for a spot on the national squad with her performances in Queensland.
“It’s been a goal since I started gym to represent Australia and this goal has become possible this year,” she said.
Eva Fountis, 16, Castle Hill Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
This 16-year-old is a vault powerhouse who finished inside the top 10 all around in the junior international division in 2022.
Now competing in the Senior International Division, the 16-year-old heads to Aussies as the NSW vault champion.
While competing against more experienced rivals, she is hoping to make her mark as she aims to make it to the Olympics.
Kye Costa, 13, Sydney Gymnastics Centre, Double Mini Trampoline and Trampoline
Kye is the national Youth Under 13 champion on both trampoline and double mini trampoline and has a special dream for future success.
This year the rising star has moves up a division but is still hoping for success at the championships.
“I want to be the best and I want to go to the Olympics. I want to be the first Australian to win in trampoline at the Olympics too,” he said.
“When I go on the trampoline, it just feels like I am free. I feel like I’m home. It feels like I need to be there.”
Annabelle Burrows, 16, Sydney Academy of Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
As the recently crowned senior international division all around state champion, Annabelle goes into the championship with confidence as she continues her comeback from injury.
She will be competing as a senior for the first time and like many of her teammates has an Olympic dream.
Shaun Swadling, 30, Eastlake Trampoline Sports, Trampoline
This well known gymnast is the defending Australian champion, was recently crowned NSW champion and is currently ranked No. 5 in the world.
He has come out of retirement and is one a mission to compete at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Incredibly, he will be competing for NSW at the nationals for the 21st time.
“I have already achieved most my goals in the sport and just still love competing,” he said.
Annabelle Dietrich, 14, Lauren McDuie, 18, and Maddisen Mclay, 18, SXL Gymnastics, Acrobatic Gymnastics
This trio won three silvers and a bronze last year and are after gold at the 2023 Australian titles.
They are also chasing selection on the Australian team to compete at the upcoming world championships.
This is the second year they have competed as a trio, after Maddisen joined Lauren
and Annabelle, who previously competed as a pair in the gymsport.
“Our goals are to go out there and do clean routines, get better scores, and showcase our hard work,” Lauren said.
“It’s enjoyable to push ourselves to a new level. We are all working towards making the Australian team for World Championships.”
Alexsa Kachan, 12, Kachan School of Tumbling & Performance, Double Mini Trampoline and Tumbling
The top tumbler in the world, the 12-year-old is out to defend her crown as national tumbling champion in her division.
She also won last year’s double mini trampoline title and enters the Australian championships titles keen to prove herself again and get back out on the international stage and put Australia at the top in her event.
Ethan McGuinness, 21, Kachan School of Tumbling & Performance, Tumbling
The current men’s Tumbling World champion and world record holder, Ethan McGuiness is on course to defend his national men’s tumbling crown in the senior division.
Last year, the superstar broke the world record for the most difficult routine ever performed in competition.
He also played a major role in NSW’s team gold medal last year.
Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, 21, Le Ray Gymnastics Academy, Rhythmic Gymnastics
An Australian rhythmic gymnastics gun and Commonwealth Games athlete.
Alexandra is the national all around champion in the senior division with a goal of competing for Australia at the Paris Olympics.
“Gymnastics is not just a sport, it’s a form of art where I can express myself to the music, movement and artistry,” she said. “I enjoy taking my performance to the audience and connecting with them through the movement of apparatus and body across the competition floor.”
Big things are expected of Alexandra who win three golds, a silver and a bronze at the Australian Gymnastics Championships.
Alexandra Eedle, 22, Le Ray Gymnastics Academy, Rhythmic Gymnastics
NSW champion Alexandra comes into the event off numerous international competitions in rhythmic gymnastics.
After competing only in groups, Alexandra is now competing as an individual in the
senior international division.
Up against seasoned gymnasts, she is hoping good results set her on the path to both the Olympics and next Commonwealth Games.
Sienna Bujaroski, 13, Shire Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics
Fresh off her debut international competition, Sienna is keen to make a mark.
She finished runner-up in the pre junior division last year with an all around silver, gold and two bronzes.
“I’m looking forward to improving on my scores,” she said.
Angelina Chalabov, 13, All Starz Gymnastics and Dance, Aerobic Gymnastics
Angelina enters the event buoyed by her first finals appearance at an international competition.
She is out to defend the title she won in her division a year.
The young gun won gold in the AeroDance individual category and silver for her group performance in 2022.
Mercedes McIntyre, 25, PLC Sydney, Aerobic Gymnastics
Mercede was recently the highest scoring Australian at the Suzuki World Cup in Japan and finishing third in her individual routine at the 2022 Australian Gymnastics.
She is hoping to press for the gold this year and goes in boasting the NSW title.
Carissa Uno, 22, All Starz Gymnastics and Dance, Aerobic Gymnastics
The experienced campaigner will be competing against friend Mercedes after her second in the individual aerobics senior division.
She and Mercedes will then team with Grace Kleppich in the trio category after finishing with a silver last year.
Aaron Mavro, 32, and Madison Farley, 14, SXL Gymnastics, Acrobatic Gymnastics
This mixed senior pair have joined forces in a bid to make it to the World Championships in
Israel next year.
The Australian titles nationals are a first selection event for the national squad.
The stakes are especially high for Aaron, who had previously been selected to compete at the worlds but was unable to due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This marks the first time the pair have competing together nationally following their NSW title victory in March.
Madison was also part of a winning Level 9 Women’s Trio last year which took gold in all categories.
Cheyanna Robinson, 23, Kachan School of Tumbling & Performance, Double Mini Trampoline
The Double Mini Trampoline gymnast is out to defend her gold at the Australian event after just pipping a Queensland rival for the win in the senior division by a point in 2022.
The NSW Double Mini Trampoline team also won silver last year with NSW champion Cheyanna keen to help her state defend the title.
Indianna Surian, 13, Mikayla Gumm, 19, and Sophie Edwards, 23, Oak Flats Albion Park Gymnastics & Acrobatics, Acrobatic Gymnastics
This show stopping trio enter this year’s competition as the reigning champion but the stakes are now higher for the group.
They will be out to to defend their title plus score high as they chase a spot on the national squad and a shot at making next year’s world championships.
READ MORE FROM AMANDA LULHAM HERE
Meet the Camden Council candidates vying for your vote
There are new and familiar names on the list of Camden Council hopefuls. Read their thoughts on local issues to help decide who gets your vote ahead of the upcoming election.
Mayoral candidate wants to be Pied Piper of Sydney
Independent Sam Danieli has a novel plan to end the city’s ‘rat plague’ and rid the vermin from our streets. Find out what it is.