Gymnasts beam down to Timaru

DAVID ROWLAND/Timaru Herald

TOP TALENT: One of the country's top up-and-coming gymnasts Matt Palmer will be in Timaru at the weekend for the South Island Gymnastics Championships.

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New Zealand world development team member Matt Palmer is among 350 gymnasts converging on Timaru for the South Island Gymnastics Championships.

Palmer has qualified for the world development tour which starts in Croatia in November. The senior open gymnast will compete in the same routines in Timaru as those on the tour.

The 23-year-old is looking "to hit each routine" and minimise the number of deductions he receives on each apparatus.

"Most of the time scores are out of my control so I try to focus on each apparatus as it comes and compete tidy, high-quality routines."

The Tri-Star (Auckland) gymnast thinks it is important for competitions to be held away from the main centres in places like Timaru. He started gymnastics in Blenheim.

"As senior gymnasts we should travel more often to more locations to show younger gymnasts in other regions what gymnasts are capable of doing and inspire them to greater goals."

Steering committee member Marlene Martin said having Palmer compete in Timaru was exciting for the local gymnasts.

"We are very excited to welcome Matt. To have a competitor here this weekend who will be attending the world champs brings a rare opportunity to Timaru and our region to see a gymnast competing at this top level.

"The opportunity for our young gymnasts to see Matt compete will show them that it is possible with dedication, determination and focus to achieve in this sport at the highest level."

Both Palmer and Martin urged people to take the opportunity to watch some of New Zealand's up-and-coming gymnasts.

"This is a chance to see the top South Island gymnasts at their best," Palmer said.

The competition will run on Saturday and Sunday at the SBS Events Centre.

- © Fairfax NZ News