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Nani Vercruyssen, a 12 year old who is soon to be a Kaimuki Middle School 7th grader, and Hawaii’s only elite trampolinist, competed as a member of the United States International Team at the IndoPacific Trampoline-Tumbling Championships in Kelowna, BC Canada, where she was awarded a gold medal on Double Mini-Tramp and a silver medal on Trampoline.
Over 400 trampoline national champions form nine countries bordering the India and Pacific Oceans (viz., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and United States) competed in age group competition in Kelowna, British Columbia. In the 10-12 year division, Nani Vercruyssen won a gold medal on the Double Mini-Trampoline (Brazil won silver and bronze), a silver medal on Trampoline (Japan won gold and bronze), and 7th place on Synchronized Trampoline with partner Ashley Grimes from Naples Florida (Japan won gold and silver, Australia won bronze).
On double mini-trampoline, Vercruyssen was third after preliminaries (score = 60.3) and performed the most difficult skills with the highest execution marks to convincingly win 1st place in finals (score = 60.9). On trampoline, Vercruyssen was first after preliminaries (score =33.9) having performed the most difficult routines on record for her age (DD=11.3; much higher than the current male world champion who’s DD is 10.0). In finals a slight boo boo put her in second place (score = 33.3) by 0.2 to Japan’s Haruna Yagi who displayed exceptional form (score = 33.5, DD = 8.5). Vercruyssen and Yagi will rematch next month at the Japan Junior Championships in Kaminoyama City, Yamagata.
Vercruyssen placed 5th on double mini-trampoline and 6th on trampoline at the World Age Group Games last October in Hannover Germany. Being the IndoPacific Champion on double mini-trampoline (and 2nd on trampoline) will raise her in the world rankings for both events, possibly into the top three. However, her focus is on the open competition where there is a simple ranking within each country to determine the top six seniors (17 yrs and older) and the top six juniors (17 yrs and younger). Last month she earned enough international points in the junior division for both double mini-trampoline and trampoline to be named to the US International Team, an assignment that last 12 months until a new team is named based on meet results over the next year. Her next international competition is in Tampa Florida at the Pan American Championships where she will compete for the US in synchronized trampoline. August 2-9th she will be the first non-Japanese athlete invited to the Japan Junior (Elite National) Championships in Yamagata and in November she plans to participate in a Russian Competition Tour in Belarus and Moscow.
For more information see www.hawaiiacademy.com . To make a tax deductible contribution or to help sponsor Nani’s training in any form, contact the Development Office at Hawaii Academy.