Tryon’s Foothills Gymnastics Academy traveled to Greensboro, N.C. Feb. 10-12 to compete in the third annual Greensboro Invitational. Gymnasts from eight states, both boys and girls, competed in this AAU/USAG event totaling 1,700 gymnasts in levels 2-9, tumbling and trampoline. The Foothills Gymnastics team consisted of seven girls competing at level 4 and Modified Optional (level 6-7).
This was the girls’ 2012 competition season debut; they last competed in July 2011 at AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fla.
The Modified Optional team, which includes Colleen Burke, Lily Nelson, Julianna Robbins, Savannah Robbins and Sydney Waldman, brought home the first-place team finish, winning the gold. AAU’s modified optional competition is between levels 6-7 and requires original routines by each gymnast in all four events. Each routine contains certain required elements.
In the Modified Optional Individual Junior A (age 9-13) competition, Sydney Waldman won the silver medal with her second place All-Around combined scores (36.200). Having a combined score of over 36.00 also earned Waldman her Elite gymnast status. Waldman won the gold medal on the uneven bars with a 9.250, the bronze medal on vault (9.025), the silver medal on balance beam (9.075) and the bronze medal on floor (8.850). Waldman is 9 years old and a fourth grader at Tryon Elementary. She is the daughter of Ethan and Renae Waldman of Tryon.