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Bahamas Star Gymnastics competes in Jacksonville, Florida
Mar 12, 2015 - 8:07:20 PM

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TOP CENTER: : Candace Murphy tops podium in first place for Floor Exercise (9.45) and Vault (9.35). TOP RIGHT: Sports Tourism opportunity to give back presents itself often. Visiting gymnasts booked at Atlantis Resort pose after workout session with BSG squad. BOTTOM: Candace Murphy, Sanaa Saunders and Madisson Deveaux warm up before the start of competition at the AGI Gymnastics Meet in Connecticut earlier this year. (Photos courtesy of Bahamas Star Gymnastics)

“Promises are easy to make and hard to deliver” but Pete Deveaux easily delivered on a promise made to the “Sensational Six” gymnasts from Bahamas Star Gymnastics who competed at the Gymnastics Around the World competition hosted last October in Jacksonville, Florida. Deveaux, owner of The Island Game, was on hand at the event to support his daughter Madisson, a Level 4 gymnast, and her teammates.

After witnessing the brilliant performance of the “Sensational Six”, Deveaux delivered his promise, “improve at your next meet and I will pay you $100 for each score on each apparatus and the All Around score”. The gymnasts did not take him seriously and received the challenge as “light encouragement.”

All six of the gymnast competed at their next event, Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational, hosted on Paradise Island in December. They chalked up for performances and improved scores on all four events thereby boosting their All Around Score to unknowingly meet Deveaux’s challenge. Each gymnast was therefore awarded $500, being held in escrow by their club. Deveaux cashed in on his promise by delivering a cheque to Bahamas Star Gymnastics to hold in escrow for the gymnasts with very specific instructions. The funds were earmarked for use for class fees, meet entry fees, travel expenses or any training costs but could not be handed to any of the gymnasts or their families personally.

Level 3 gymnast, Soraya Halkitis, churned out exceptional performance in Jacksonville with 2nd place on Balance Beam (9. 225), 2nd place on Floor Exercise (9.1) rounded out the All Around (36.40) in 3rd place. Kym-Benay Greene, also a Level 3 gymnast, benchmarked her season in another age division with 1st place on Beam (9.05) and 3rd place on Vault (9.35) to also nail a 3rd place All Around (36.075). Level 4 teammates of Madisson Deveaux (AA-33.525), Candace Murphy (AA-33.925), Summer Sturrup (AA-34.50) and Sanaa Saunders (AA-33.625) posted their initial scores to emerge in 4th place in the Level 4 Team Division. At Atlantis Crown, Halkitis repeated 2nd Place on Balance Beam (9.6), 2nd Place on Floor Exercise (9.525) and a 3rd place All Around (37.275). Gleeful Greene, impressed the judges to ink in 2nd Place on Floor Exercise (9.350) and 3rd Place All Around (36.850) in the record books. Continuing the theme of improved scores at Atlantis Crown, Deveaux (AA-35.872), Murphy (AA-35.750), Sturrup (35.850) and Saunders (AA-35.025) together secured 4th Place in the team standing.

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“Sensational Six” displaying trophy won by the Level 4 team at Gymnastics Around the World in Jacksonville. From left, back row: Sanaa Saunders, Summer Sturrup, Candace Murphy and Kym-Benay Greene. In front row: Soraya Halkitis and Madisson Deveaux. (Photo courtesy of Bahamas Star Gymnastics)

To ensure that gymnasts develop holistically, BSG became the first Bahamian club to enroll in the Kount on Kindness campaign to strengthen the spirit of sportsmanship and goodwill both within the club and the sporting community. “Bad character is no good” opines dance coach for the squad, Idania Garcia-Stroud who ensures discipline is present in conduct and in training. Staff Coach Tenille Thompson interjects, “wherever our gymnasts compete or train, they leave a very positive impression on their competitors and other coaches by the way they cheer them on even though they are competing for different teams”. As a reward for being goodwill ambassadors, some of the squad members were personally invited to the AG Invitational in Connecticut by US Olympic Hall of Famer, Abie Grosfeld, in whose honor the gymnastics invitational is hosted each January.

At the Connecticut meet, the level 4 gymnasts once again improved their scores for the season led by Candace Murphy who recorded first place finishes on Balance Beam (9.3) and Floor Exercise (9.45) and 2nd place on Vault (9.35). Murphy’s accident on Uneven Bars cost her in the All Around ranking. In another age division, Madisson Deveaux ranked 3rd place on Floor Exercise (9.50) and teammate Sanaa Saunders tied for 5th place on both Vault (9.1) an Uneven Bars (9.0).

the sport in the country being the only club which has hosted inter-squad meets and repeated coaching clinics to include competitor clubs’ coaches and gymnasts. BSG will host its inter-squad meet again in April.

Goodwill ambassadors garnering gifts and giving back to their community makes for a winning combination.

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