BENDIGO is again making its mark on the world trampoline sports scene, with two local girls set to represent Australia in an international event in Japan.
Haylee Wellard and Bronte Boyles were named in the national team that will contest the Indo Pacific Championships in Kakegawa from June 29 to July 3.
The event features the best senior and junior trampolinists and tumblers from countries in
cluding South Africa, Canada, New Zealand and the host nation.
The pair were chosen after performing well at selection trials in New South Wales last month.
Haylee, 16, from Eaglehawk, is a veteran of international competition, having taken part in world age group championships in Canada in 2007 and Russia last year.
The talented teen, who is in year 11 at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, was Gymnastics Victoria’s 2009 tumbler of the year.
She will show her dynamic acrobatic skills in the women’s 17 years plus tumbling and double-mini trampoline categories in Japan.
Debutante Bronte has stamped herself as a rising star of trampoline sports, but this will be the first time she has been old enough to be eligible to represent Australia.
The Strathfieldsaye youngster, who has only just turned 11, is in grade five at St Therese’s Primary School in Kennington.
She has also been selected to compete in both the tumbling and individual trampolining disciplines at the Indo Pacific titles, in the women’s 11-12 years section.
Last year, Bronte dominated the Victorian trampoline sports championships, winning four gold medals in her age group - for tumbling, individual trampoline, double-mini trampoline and synchronised trampoline.
Both girls are also accomplished divers and have represented Victoria in that sport as well.
The pair are both members of the Bendigo Gymnastics Centre, as well as Bulleen Templestowe Youth Club Gymnastics, and regularly travel to Melbourne for training.
BTYC head coach Karen Jones said the girls were full of talent.
“They are both great girls, an absolute pleasure to coach and their ability is just outstanding,” Jones said.
Bendigo-based tumbling official Pam Ferrari will accompany the Australian delegation to Japan for the Indo Pacifics, as the team manager.
Ferrari said both local girls had put an enormous amount of time, effort and travel into qualifying for the national team, and their dedication had been rewarded.
But she said the trip was not funded at all by Gymnastics Australia, so all participants and officials faced a huge financial commitment of up to $5000 each just to be able to take part.