16 June 2005; San Diego, CA
Press Release:
All three athletes from Hawaii
won medals at the USAG Trampoline-Tumbling Region 1 & 2 Championships in
San Diego, CA, where 480 of the best athletes from the 13 western US states
(Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Wyoming) competed according to gender, age group,
and skill level.
Hawaii Results: (full results found at http://www.californiatnt.com/Region1-2T&T.htm.htm)
Kelsen Onigama, 10 yrs,
Our Redeemer 4th Grade, won 1st on Tumbling (Level 8), 1st
on Double Mini-Tramp (Level 10), and 2nd on Trampoline (Level 10).
Spencer Madanay, 11 yrs,
Punahou School 5th Grade, won 1st on Tumbling (Level 8), 1st
on Double Mini-Tramp (Level 10), and 2nd on Trampoline (Level 10).
Spencer Dupio, 13 yrs, Stevenson Junior High School 7th Grade, won 1st on Tumbling (Level 7), 2nd on Double Mini-Tramp (Level 10), 4th on Trampoline (Level 10). 2nd in Synchronized Trampoline (Level 10; with Brennan Cooper of Colorado).
Kelsen Onigama & Spencer
Madanay, won 1st in Synchronized Trampoline (Level 10).
Pair Score a 10.0. Very rarely in gymnastics does an athlete score a 10.0. Well, in the synchronized trampoline competition, Kelsen Onigama and Spencer Madanay did routines side-by-side and made contact with the trampoline bed at exactly the same time on each of 10 bounces causing the courageous judge responsible for the synchronization component of their routines to flash a 10.0. Verified on video playback, these two athletes were perfect for 15 seconds at this one moment in their lives, when judges were watching. Both athletes realize this may never happen to them again but their response to the experience they simply said ‘cool!’
[At the National Championships, the champions from each of the six US regions gather as six teams to compete in the Regional Challenge. Kelsen Onigama and Spencer Madanay are the only two Hawaii athletes representing the Western Region in the Regional Challenge at Nationals.]
On June 22nd, these athletes, and other elites from Hawaii, travel to Phoenix, AZ, for the USAG Elite Challenge, the first of two qualifying events for making the World Championships and International Age Group Games Teams. The second qualifying event is the US Championships (for elites) and the Junior Olympic National Championships (for Level 10), both held in Houston, TX, July 28-31st.
For more information please contact Dr Max
Vercruyssen, Hawaii Academy Director, cell 741.2223, fax 585.8998, director@hawaiiacademy.com. Donations are accepted through Hawaii
Academy Booster Club, a non-profit organization, to support training expenses
for these exceptional athletes.