Fifty-two gymnasts from the region will compete in the upcoming Australian Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne, hopeful of claiming a place in future world championship events in each of their chosen disciplines.
Starting next Monday, athletes from St George and Sutherland Shire will compete across aerobic, acrobatic, rhythmic, trampoline along with other mens and women's gymnastics events.
To compete at the championships, 20 athletes from talent pools of up to 600 were picked through various selection phases over the past 12 months.
From the gymnasts selected, the ages varied between 10 and 20.
"They often train up to four hours a day juggling work and school in order to try and fulfill their dreams," said spokeswoman for Gymnastics NSW, Kaitlen Bastion.
Among the gifted athletes competing, will be Deborah Greenbaum (PLC Sydney) - who won the Australian Aerobic Gold medalist in the Senior International Individual female category in 2016 and was runner-up last year.
A successful tournament for Greenbaum will mean potential qualification for the World Championships, held next year in Geneva.
The athletes residing in the St George and Sutherland Shire area who successfully qualified for this event were:
Brighton Stokes, Adrian Gaunt, Isaac Barton (Altitude Gym Sports)
Grace Cantor, Erica Gaunt, Jasmine Flanagan, Brooke Flanagan, Kiara Beesley, Ellie Campbell, Rachelle Beesley, Tavia Ellis, Emma Harrison, Isabel Van Zyl, Gemma Grigg, Madeline McRae, Ella Burgher, Jasmin Veitch, Kathryn Champion, Andrew Nicoll, Whitney Picker, Aimee Chalk, Zarie Dawson, Erin Brooks (AcroGym),
Chanelle Lucifero (Cartwheels Gymnastics),
Cailie Challenor, Natalie Watt, Isabella Wilson, Aimee CCox, Cheyenne Reardon, Paige Persijn, Madylin Glenn, Roxy Langford, Jessie Langford, Emily-Louise (YMCA Caringbah)
Petra Janda (Gladesville RSL Gymnastics)
Hayley Sanderson, Lauren Bristow, Ashleigh Finn, Melissa Chambers, Sam Cook, Lucas Roberson, Chase Cross, Taj Bova, Bianca Bristow, Emily Duncan (Shire Gymnastics)
Charlotte Parmenter, Anastasia Makarenko (Le Ray Gymnastics Academy)
Lily Sharpe, Zoe Aldridge (NSW Academy of Gymnastics)
Breanna Scott (Sydney Gymnastics Centre)
Nicola Pithers, Deborah Greenbaum (PLC Sydney)
