Talented gymnast dominates on national stage

CASSIDY Ercole has a long list of sporting accolades for a girl who has just turned 16.

Local Sports Star nominee Cassidy Ercole, from Wakeley. Picture: Robert Pozo

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CASSIDY Ercole has a long list of sporting accolades for a girl who has just turned 16.

Competing in gymnastics since the age of seven, she has won numerous competitions and has been the NSW elite gymnast of the year for the past four years in a row.

The Westfield Sports High student, a nominee in the 2017 Local Sports Star awards, was selected in 2016 to represent Australia at an international competition in France where she finished equal sixth in vault (from 99 girls) and was the highest-placed Australian (33rd).

Cassidy Ercole showed talented and commitment even when she was just 11.

Ercole said vault was her preferred apparatus and she loved watching American superstar Simone Biles whenever she competes.

“I love learning new skills and competing makes me strive to be the best I can be,” the teenager said.

Ercole trains 38 hours a week with no time to rest on holidays or long weekends

The high achiever has only one dream and that is to represent Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Coach Belinda Vine believes Ercole has the right amount of skill, tenacity and passion to get there.

“The older she gets, the more she’s developing and trusting the guidance of her coaches,” Vine said.

Ercole also nominated for the 2016 Fairfield City Council Sports Achiever of the Year awards.

In the past three weeks the young athlete has qualified first overall in the NSW trials and in a couple of weeks she will defend her title again at the nationals titles in Melbourne.

To nominate a Local Sports Star, visit localsportsstars.com.au.