Hawaii Gymnasts Win At US Elite Challenge

Over 150 of the top elite and pre-elite gymnasts in the country gathered in Phoenix, AZ, to compete in the USA-Gymnastics (Trampoline-Tumbling) Elite Challenge for national ranking. This event is the first of two qualifying meets for the Trampoline-Tumbling World Championships and the International Age Group Games in The Netherlands in September. Most states in the US were represented with four athletes from Hawaii:

Nani Vercruyssen, a 13 year old 8^th grader from Kaimuki Middle School, a US national champion and member of the US International Elite Team, won second in the Junior Elite (Level 11—ages 17 yrs and younger) division on trampoline, second on double mini-trampoline, and fourth in synchronized trampoline (with her partner, Ashley Grimes from Naples, FL). In the 13-14 age group for world competition, she retained her rank of #1 on trampoline and #1 on double mini-tramp.

Matt Moniz (18 year old senior at Aiea High School, also a US national champion), placed 1^st on double mini-tramp and 18^th on trampoline in the Junior Elite division. On Level 10 tumbling he placed 8^th. In the 17-18 age group qualification trials he is now ranked 1^st in double mini-tramp and 6^th on trampoline.

Kelsen Onigama (10 year old 5^th grader from Our Redeemer Elementary School, also a US national champion), placed 1^st on Level 10 double mini-tramp and 1^st on Level 10 trampoline. [Despite being first ranked in the country in his age group for trampoline and double mini-tramp, Kelsen cannot qualify for world competitions because he is too young—the minimum age is 11 yrs.]

Spencer Madanay (12 year old 7^th grader from Punahou School), placed 7^th on Level 10 trampoline, 6^th on Level 10 double mini-tramp, and 3^rd on synchronized trampoline (with Adam Bragg from California). These results give him the rank of 6^th for the world age group team on double mini-tramp.

‘Wow, what a great time to hit their season best performances!’ said Dr Max Vercruyssen, Hawaii Academy coach of the international trampoline team. ‘This is perfect preparation for the US (Elite) Championships and the Junior Olympics National Championships, both held in Houston next month.’

Next Competitions: The second trial for qualifying to the World Championships will be at the US Championships (26-30 July) and the USA-Gymnastics Junior Olympics National Championships (31 July—03 Aug), both in Houston, TX. For those qualifying to world level competition (i.e., the top four per age group based on this Elite Challenge and Nationals) the World Championships are held 12-18 September (senior elites) and the International Age Group Games 19-25 September (ages 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 yrs), both in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Hawaii has two elite gymnasts in trampoline: Matt Moniz (18 yrs) and Nani Vercruyssen (13 yrs). Both are now ranked the best in the country in at least one event and aspire to represent the US in the International Age Group Games (previously called the World Age Group Games). Matt Moniz, has proven himself the strongest junior elite in the US and now seeks to make the senior elite international team, where he is currently ranked 6^th (the top six based on total points from two national and two international meets are named to the US team). Nani Vercruyssen, the youngest and shortest member of the USA Elite International Trampoline Team (see www.usa-gymnastics.org/athletes/bios/tt/nvercruyssen.pdf), is currently ranked 1^st in synchronized trampoline, 1^st in double mini-trampoline, and 1^st in individual trampoline among US female elites under 18 years of age (see http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/tt/2005/eliteranking/jnt-rank-30-mar-05.pdf). Since placing 5^th in the World Age Group Games (Germany) last year, Nani has won gold in the IndoPacific Championships (Canada), silver in the Pan American Championships (Florida), gold in the All Japan Junior Championships (Japan), silver in the Silnitskyi International Cup (Belarus), gold at the USAG Winter Classic, bronze in the Aalsmeer Flower Cup (Netherlands), gold in the Scandinavian Open (Denmark), gold in the Frivolten Cup (Sweden), gold in the Canadian National Championships, and now gold in the US Elite Challenge.

For more information phone 808.741.2223 or see www.hawaiiacademy.com. To make donations to support training and travel of these athletes, contact Ms Carlene Toshi, Development Department Head, at 808.842.5642.