Armidale City Gymnastics sent a team of four with Emma Barnier, Caitlin Schuman, Alyce Inman and Bianca Kiehne to the tournament in Sydney over the weekend. 

While all girls performed to the top of their abilities, it was Barnier who stood tallest, placing fourth in division three. 

“Emma was fourth overall and an unlucky fourth,” coach Wally O’Hara said.

“She had a bit of a wobble on a beam which put her down a bit but generally she went well.

“She won vault so she is the state vault champion.

“Emma was unlucky not to make the Border Challenge team which is like the State of Origin in gymnastics. 

“I don’t think she was really that far out of it.

“The others all went well.

“It was great and they really enjoyed it.”

Training for a competition at this level is tough and O’Hara said the girls had been putting in the work since last year to be able to mix it with the best. 

“It was a long hall, they started well before Christmas with training and trained all through the Christmas break and all through January,” he said. 

“With two days of trials just to get there and two days of competition, they were fairly tired by the time they finished.”

The competition was a milestone for the local club who hadnever had a female gymnastics team compete at that level. 

“It is the first time we have sent a team at level seven for the girls, we have had boys up to level nine with national representatives,” O’Hara said.“It was certainly a learning experience.

“We will come back stronger and better next time we do it and we certainly have some talent coming through behind this group and I think we will be there again next and for quite a few years to come.”