A team of 18 girls from Gunnedah Gymnastics Centre secured second place, as the group contested the NSW Country Championships in Newcastle during the first week of the school holidays.

The Gunnedah girls achieved the runner-up placing in their final competition for the 2025 season despite having a small team, while the winning Northern Gymnastics Academy entered almost 120 gymnasts.

A highlight and an amazing achievement for Gunnedah Gymnastics Centre was the awarding of both major championship trophies to Gunnedah girls: Level 3 gymnast Maddi Hill and Level 7 gymnast Mikayla Ferguson.

Maddi’s total of 38.2 out of a possible 40 enabled her to claim the coveted Kevin Maunder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the gymnast in Levels 3-6 with the highest overall total.

Following the passing of Kevin Maunder, the award was introduced in 2014 to recognise his contribution to the development of gymnastics in country regions throughout NSW.

Lily Griffith ranked second with 38.175, and Stella Geddes was third with 38.05.

Due to the different methods of scoring for gymnasts in Levels 7-10, another trophy was awarded to the gymnast in these higher levels with the highest overall pointscore.

Mikayla claimed this prize, after achieving a total score of 47.85.

Level 6 gymnast Ruby Cygan brought home the gold medal in the all-around on day one of the competition with gold on vault and floor, and silver on beam.

Competing in junior Level 5, Lilah Edmunds secured the silver medal overall following a spectacular gold medal vault score of 9.566, a 9.425 on bars to claim another gold, and bronze medals on beam and floor.

In the senior division of Level 5, Mia Geddes was nudged to the silver position overall after claiming gold on vault with a spectacular 9.70, and a bronze on bars.

Mikayla secured the Level 7 all-around gold medal following an outstanding performance on beam (12.60) to claim gold, while also producing a clean, stylish performance on floor to secure her second apparatus gold with a 12.35.

Kelly Briggs won the bronze medal in the all-around with a massive vault to win the gold medal (11.85), as well as silver on floor (12.05) and bronze on bars and beam.

Thirteen Gunnedah girls performed in a banded competition for Levels 3 and 4 on the final day.

Quality routines from these gymnasts earned them a gold medal banding.

Individual performances included:

Maddi Hill: floor 9.70, beam 9.65;

Ashley Ross: floor 9.525, bars 9.55;

Evie Formann: vault 9.7;

Stella Geddes: vault 9.7, beam 9.525, floor 9.583;

Mimi Sheridan: vault 9.60;

Eloise Launders: vault 9.7;

Lily Griffith: floor 9.625, bars 9.55;

Elsie Sanderson: floor 9.675;

Elodie Warren: vault 9.55;

Lexie Martin: bars 9.725.

Coaches were incredibly pleased with the attitude and success of the team at the championships. The efforts and presentation of the girls drew high praise from the competition organisers and coaches from other country centres.

These gymnasts will be joined by all the other members of the Centre as they prepare for their annual Bodies in Motion display night.

A matinee for local schools will be presented on November 27, and an evening performance for the local community will be at the Lyle & Griffith Centre on November 29.

Mikayla Ferguson and Maddi Hill won a major championship trophy each.
Photos: Supplied.