Three HGHS students competed at the competitions in Invercargill in the Term 2 holidays, with outstanding success and podium finishes.

Addisyn Smith, Paige Solly and Rory Jenkins all represented Waikato at the NZ Gymnastics Championships in Invercargill in the first week of the Term 2 school holidays. 

Steps go from levels 1-10, Step 5 and above allows athletes to qualify for nationals and represent their region. 

Addisyn Smith has been competing in events throughout the North Island this year, excelling in floor, vault and beam. She finished as the top Waikato qualifier for Step 6, making the Waikato team of 4 to compete at the NZ Gymnastics Championships in Invercargill. Addisyn secured a bronze medal on the floor with a score of 14.033/15 and a gold medal on the beam with a score of 14.15/15, claiming the National Champion title for 'Step 6 Overs'. There were 43 gymnasts at Step 6 level, from all over NZ, and Addisyn managed to qualify in 3rd place for the All Around Final, which was one of her main goals and a massive accomplishment! In the final, Addisyn was sitting in second place until she got to the uneven bars where her routine didn't go as planned, unfortunately dropping her out of the race. Addisyn didn't let this get the better of her and finished strongly with a huge personal best of the season on the beam, with a score of 14.433. With this score, Addisyn finished in 16th place in the All Round Final. 

Rory Jenkins is a Women's Artistic Gymnast on Step 7. To be selected for the Waikato team for Artistics Step 7, athletes have to have a minimum pass of 43.00 overall. Rory qualified for all four categories, floor, beam, uneven bar and vault and competed in all of these events at the NZ Gymnastics Championships. She placed 10th in NZ for her beam routine with a score of 11.750. 

Paige Solly qualified as an individual gymnast representing Waikato at the NZ Gymnastics Championships on Step 5 for Artistic gymnastics. An individual gymnast is selected from the top scores after the regional team selection. Paige performed with grace, completing her routines calmly under pressure and received a personal best on the uneven bar, and another personal best on the beam of 13.566/15. Paige finished with a total score of 51.315, placing her 34th out of 51 gymnasts.  

Congratulations to all three of our students, we are very proud of you!