J and J athletes bring home National Championship titles

The J&J Level 8 through Elite athletes recently returned from the 2016 National Championships for Trampoline, Tumbling and Double Mini Trampoline with some well-deserved hardware and a chance to experience the selection of the 2016 Trampoline Olympians for the Rio Games. The 2016 National Championships for Tumbling, Trampoline and Double Mini Trampoline were held in Providence, RI. Madalyn Fitzanko (Pecatonica), Jenna Revell (Pecatonica), Emily Gibson (Byron) and Bridget Hunziker (Ridott) were the four athletes representing the Pecatonica gym.

Jenna Revell won the Youth Elite Womens Power Tumbling National Champion Title her first year in the division. Revell recently mobilized to the Elite level of competition for the event of Power Tumbling. Revell’s competition tumbling passes with varied requirements of double and twisting somersaults. Revell captured 1^st place and the title of Youth Elite National Tumbling Champion after the final round. The third day of competition, Revell placed 3^rd overall in the Level 10 division of 13-14 year olds in the event of Double Mini Trampoline.

Fitzanko and Revell brought home a National Championship title in the event of Synchronized Trampoline. In this event both athletes perform the same routine on two different trampolines set up side by side. The athletes are judged on various somersaulting, form and synchronization requirements. The pair took 1^st place and the title of Level 9, 13-14 year old Synchronized Trampoline Champions. Fitzanko later placed 25^th overall in Level 8 Tumbling and 19^th in Level 8 Double Mini Trampoline.

Two athletes from J&J’s were also attending their final National Championships as high school graduates. Emily Gibson and Bridgett Hunzicker have attended a combined total of 14 National Championships with the J&J Team. Both athletes have competed in Trampoline, Tumbling and Double Mini events. At this year’s Nationals, Gibson placed 17^th in Level 8 Trampoline and 35^th in Level 8 Double mini in a field of 62 athletes in each event. Hunzicker also placed well in a highly contested age division of Level 8 Trampoline placing 4^th overall, Double mini 6^th and Tumbling 13^th.

At the conclusion of the competition the athletes and families were able to attend the USA Gymnastics Finals for the Senior Elite athletes and the final Olympic Trial for both Trampoline and Rhythmic Gymnastics. The finals proved to be a spectacular event concluding with the naming of the 2016 Olympians Logan Dooley (California) and Nicole Ahsinger (Louisiana) who will be representing the USA in Rio at the 2016 Olympic Games. For more information from recreational to Elite levels of competition and the Olympic sport of Trampoline, call J&J 815-239-1558.

Bridgett Hunziker and Emily Gibson at the 2016 National Championship.

Jenna Revell takes first in the Youth Elite Tumbling at the 2016 National Championship.