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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Sports
Small Squad’s Sweet Successes A small squad of gymnasts from Bahamas Star Gymnastics (BSG) scaled under the radar Thursday, February 11, 2016 when they departed Nassau for the 2016 Magical Classic hosted in Orlando Florida. The foursome travelled with one united goal which was to improve on its last performance at the 2015 Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational (AC) hosted on Paradise Island in December and the previous season. Without exception, improvement was on the score card for the gymnasts who earned first place in the Level 2 team standing and Level 3 individual all-around. The Level 2 team of Rhianna Smith, Tanitra Armbrister and Taevia Wright had fire in their bellies after being eclipsed for first place by an American team at Atlantis Crown Gymnastics Invitational and taking away second place honours. In the previous season, they also came up shy of first place in Level 1 with two second place finishes in the team standing at their competed meets. Seven year old Smith, who is the oldest of the Level 2 trio, looked in the eyes of her coaches and led the chorus in her team’s aspiration to post a first place banner in their club’s achievement arsenal. With the level of determination emanating from this petite packaged team, “it was only a matter of time and hard work”.
On Friday past, they were declared the first place winners of Level 2 Team with the top 3 scores from all teams being counted. “Small island nation, small team, small in size and height but they delivered a high order with power packed performances to collectively nail this one,” beams staff coach Tenille Thompson who co-chaperoned the team along with fellow coach Monique de Swanton. In the individual all around standings, Smith, Wright and Armbrister topped the podium in second, fourth and sixth place. Smith earned first place on uneven bars and second place on vault and beam. Wright contributed to the team’s haul with second place on floor exercise and tied with Armbrister for third place on uneven bars. “Every season, we are reaffirmed in our program’s vision with gymnasts like our Level 2 team but also when athletes like our Level 3 Amanda Rahming sweep first place on all apparatus, first place all-around and top score for all Bahamians competing at the event with a 37.675 (of 40),” continues Thompson. Rahming is coached by Head Coach Kachara Marshall who adds, “Amanda is not one of our quickest gymnasts in learning new skills but once she acquires them she posts solid scores”. Rahming had set some high goals before the trip in terms of improving her performance at Level 3 and the mission was certainly accomplished for this starlet who has a few more meets remaining in the season to reach higher. Her 36.825 previous AA score at AC was smashed with posting scores of 9.575 on vault, 9.325 on uneven bars, 9.325 on balance beam and 9.45 on floor exercise.
BSG will field other teams to meets abroad during the remainder of the 2015-2016 season. “It’s a good start to our competitions abroad but it’s not time to celebrate yet,” cautions Marshall, “as there are more meets in this season and much work to invest as we remain committed to constant improvement. Even though we triumphed over other local teams in head to head competition in two out of three levels at Atlantis Crown, we never want our gymnasts to rest on the laurels of past successes especially early in the season and challenge them to improve, improve, improve at every round of competition”. Bahamas Star Gymnastics opened its doors in 2010 and will host its annual “Invitational” in April for the fifth consecutive year. The only local club to currently host a meet and offer training clinics to local coaches, BSG remains committed to improvement in the sport of gymnastics.
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