Smithers Saltos gymnasts made head coach Lori Saffel proud combining for 49 medals by thirty athletes including 20 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze at the club’s annual invitational meet Jan. 25.
“The 2020 Smithers Saltos Invitational Meet was a huge success, nearly doubling their meet attendance over last year,” said a press release from the club. “One hundred and thirty registered athletes from Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat, Burns Lake, Smithers and Prince George descended on Smithers to compete at Junior Olympic, Provincial and Interclub levels.”
Among the 49 Smithers medals were four All Around Champions: Ruby-Mei Meyer, Junior Olympic Level 1; Bailey Tendall, Junior Olympic Level 6; Ryder Morrison, Men’s Provincial Level 1; and Gryphon Tendall, Men’s Provincial Level 3.
Cassidy Fendick (Junior Olympic Level 1) and Emma Hols (Junior Olympic Level 4b) added all around silver medal performances to the Smithers tally, while Peytanne Brockley (Junior Olympic Level 4a) and Mickelle Burns (Junior Olympic Level 6) captured all round bronze.
In Junior Olympic Level 7, an injured Ava Morrison competed in two of four events and won gold and a bronze for the team.
“The Smithers Saltos Gymnastics Club has a strong sense of commitment to developing leadership skills and athletic abilities in our gymnasts,” the release stated.
This week Smithers is represented at the 2020 BC Games for Artistic Gymnastics in Fort St John by Gryphon and Bailey Tendall.
“For the first time ever, siblings make up the Smithers contingent of the BC Games Artistic Gymnastics team,” the release said.
“Gryphon and Bailey have been training hard under the coaching of Lori Saffel. Both athletes qualified for BC Games at the BC Games Trials in Terrace in December, 2019.”
Gryphon competes Provincial Level 3 on floor, vault, pommel, rings, parallel bars and high bar. Bailey competes Junior Olympic Level 7 on floor, vault, beam and bars.
Next up for the Smithers Saltos Gymnastics Team is a series of zone competitions leading up to the BC Provincial Championships in May starting in Terrace March 7.
The release said the event depended on a solid commitment from the club itself and various other sources.
“The Smithers Saltos Gymnastics Club would like to acknowledge and thank the business sponsors who made this successful event possible: CFNR, Seabridge Gold, Pretivm, Subway, Nature’s Pantry, Boston Pizza, BV Wholesale, City West, and Rugged Edge Holdings.
“The Club is also grateful to the volunteers who gave their time and energy to make this a winning celebration of community and sport in the town of Smithers.”
2020 Smithers Women’s Team:
Junior Olympic Level 1 Category: Ruby-Mei Meyer, Francesca Levenson, Cassidy
Fendick, Dharma Chaplin, Emma Johnson, Sally Paulson, Lilly Gideon, Davynn Hicks,
Junior Olympic Level 2 Category: Wynter Lilles, Cadence Koehmstedt, Kiera
Mckenna, Niyaa Donio, Cassie Decker, Katie Lo, Sarah Lo, Ella Opdendries
Junior Olympic Level 3b Category: September Hughes
Junior Olympic Level 4a Category: Peytanne Brockley, Evangelina Raven, Kelsey
Hooker
Junior Olympic Level 4b Category: Emma Hols
Junior Olympic Level 6 Category: Bailey Tendall, Mickelle Burns, Jane Currah,
Cassidy Collingwood, Charley Fox
Junior Olympic Level 7 Category: Ava Morrison
2020 Smithers Men’s Team
Men’s Provincial Level 1 Category: Ryder Morrison, Max Meyer
Men’s Provincial Level 3 Category: Gryphon Tendall
