A SPORTING dream has come true for 16-year-old Frankston gymnast Celia Kelsall, who recently took out the under-18s Level 10 Victorian state title in the Women’s Gymnastics Southern Cross Classic.
Celia, who trains at Dolphin Gymnastics in Carrum Downs, has made a name for herself on the gymnastics scene since competing in her first comp 12 years ago.
She was one of four Dolphin gymnasts who won the team’s title at the Level 4 National titles at Geelong in 2010 but can now stand on the podium in her own right.
Last year she won her first individual medal after finishing third on vault at the Level 9 state championships, narrowly missing overall third place by .02 points.
“Not even the value of a pointed toe,” she said.
Head coach Nedal Alyousef, who was Australia’s only Olympic gymnastics judge at Rio, said that only 2 per cent of female gymnasts even make it to Level 10.
“To take the coveted state title is a magnificent achievement,” she said.
Traditionally the year 11 student’s strongest discipline has been floor gymnastics but this year was a clean sweep, with firsts in all four disciplines of uneven bars, beam, floor and vault.