Emma Thompson, a 9-year-old level 5 gymnast for Paramount Gymnastics in Hillsborough, captured the club’s first state championship of the 2010-2011 season.
Thompson, a Manville resident, executed her best bar routine of the year and was awarded a score of 9.575 for her efforts, which in addition to capturing the state title in the 9-year-old mid-age division was a personal best.
”I have never seen Emma cast so high or squeeze her legs so tightly,” commented Dawn Thompson, Emma’s mother “she is a true competitor.”
Thompson had to redouble her efforts in the gym after a disappointing competition two weeks before states.
”I knew I could do better, and knew that I had to practice extra hard if I was going to even place at states,” Thompson said, “so I worked really hard to fix all the areas in which I was receiving deductions.”
In addition to her efforts on the uneven bars, Thompson also achieved a personal best on the floor exercise amid tough competition when she earned a score of 9.150 and a ninth place finish. Thompson held tough in all events, and almost achieved her personal goal of being awarded all nines. Unfortunately, she was a little short on beam when she only scored an 8.9. This however, was good enough for an eighth-place finish.
In addition to being awarded the state bar championship in the 9-year-old mid-age group, Thompson also captured second place in the all-around competition with a score of 36.675. This was her highest all-around score of the season thus far.
”Even though I didn’t make my meet goal of all nines, I was happy that I was able to stick all of my routines and earn some personal best scores as well,” Thompson said.
