Star quality: Year 8 Echuca College student Aliera Pumpa represented Victoria at the Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast last week. Photo: Supplied.
Year 8 Echuca College student Aliera Pumpa represented Victoria proudly at the 2023 Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast last week.
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In a remarkable effort, Aliera competed in the level six women’s tumbling event despite being only 13 years old, placing 21st in the event.
The incredible experience was thoroughly enjoyed, although Aliera admitted the big stage of her first national event was at times daunting.
“It was so cool, the atmosphere of everything was amazing,” she said.
“It’s a lot more nerve-racking and so much bigger.”
Aliera produced two stellar tumbling passes in her event, with an extra little forward roll on her second pass to safely land, earning a combined score of 38.4, less than three points away from qualifying for the final.
Star quality: Year 8 Echuca College student Aliera Pumpa represented Victoria at the Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast last week. Photo: Supplied.
In the tumbling discipline, each competitor has two passes, a five-skill and an eight-skill pass. Each skill is individually scored, with overall execution, landing and degree of difficulty factored in.
Before making the trip to the Gold Coast, Aliera first had to earn a spot on the Victorian team, competing in three qualifying events, where she gained a qualifying score in each.
Representing her state was a great honour for the young gymnast, who relished her opportunity as part of the team.
“It was so good, it was so well organised,” she said.
“Just competing for Victoria is so good, just being a part of the team.”
Aliera “lives and breathes gymnastics” according to her mother, Michelle, with the dedicated athlete not only training at Palmer’s Gymnastics three times a week, but coaching the junior age groups twice a week as well.
It is with Palmer’s Gymnastics that Aliera will compete at the National Club Championships in Queensland this September, the next major event for the budding superstar, although the Australian Gymnastics Championships will be on her radar when the event returns to the Gold Coast next year.
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