Tumble trio flying high

By Raelee Tuckerman
Updated November 7 2012 - 2:41am, first published July 26 2009 - 10:36am
TALENTED: Tumblers Haylee Wellard, Latisha Painter and Jaclyn McAliece, from the Bendigo Gymnastics Centre, are among the best in the world.  Pictures: BRENDAN McCARTHY
TALENTED: Tumblers Haylee Wellard, Latisha Painter and Jaclyn McAliece, from the Bendigo Gymnastics Centre, are among the best in the world. Pictures: BRENDAN McCARTHY

THE Bendigo Gymnastics Centre could have as many as three tumbling representatives at the World Trampoline Sports Age Group Championships in Russia this year.Teenagers Jaclyn McAliece, from Golden Square, and Haylee Wellard, of Eaglehawk, have already booked their places in the national team after winning events at both the Victorian and Queensland state titles in recent months.Eleven-year-old Latisha Painter, who lives in Echuca but trains in Bendigo, completed the first stage of qualification with a win at the Victorian championships in April.She must now also perform well at the national clubs titles in Queensland next weekend f to meet the selection criteria for Russia and make it a local trifecta on the team.Bendigo coach John Palmer said it was remarkable that a club such as Bendigo could potentially have three members tumbling together at the same world championships.“Haylee and Jaclyn would be the best two tumblers I have ever seen in Australia,’’ Mr Palmer said.“When you compare them with our previous great gymnasts and tumblers in Bendigo, they have just taken their sport to a whole new level.’’He said he had also worked alongside top tumblers in China and Russia, “and those girls would be as good as most and better than many’’.“And Latisha, for her age, is among the best in the Southern Hemisphere.’’ As well as training locally, all three girls travel to Melbourne every Friday after school for two elite sessions at the Bulleen Templestowe Youth Club under the watchful eye of Karen Jones.They will represent BTYC at the national clubs titles next month, and will be in action again in September at the Australian age championships.Both events will be important lead-ups to the world age groups competition in St Petersburg from November 16-21.Our local high-flyers are profiled below: Jaclyn McAliece admits she is the type of girl who finds it hard to stay on her own two feet for too long.“I’m always doing handstands up against the couch and mum’s always yelling at me to stop it,’’ the 15-year-old laughed.“But tumbling is such a huge part of my life - it is so much fun.“I started gym when I was five, so Mum has been taking me to training three or four times a week for nearly 11 years now. “I love training and Mr Palmer is such a fantastic coach.’’Jaclyn qualified for the world age group championships by winning the 15-16 years tumbling crown at both the Victorian and Queensland state titles. The Crusoe College Year 10 student said she was working hard to ensure her tumbling passes were “really polished’’ to give her the best chance of a top performance in Russia.“I have never been overseas before so it is going to be an amazing experience,’’ she said.“At the moment, I am working on a double back somersault in the pike position and working towards doing it at the worlds.“I would love to finish in the top 10 in Russia - I’d be really pleased with that.’’Jaclyn has little time for other sports, though she has represented her school at diving for the past four years, making it through to zone level each time.But it is aerial acrobatics along the tumbling run where her true passion lies.“I love the discipline and being able to do backflips all the time - it’s awesome.’’ Haylee Wellard:At just 16, Haylee Wellard is the veteran of the central Victorian tumbling trio, having already represented Australia in the international arena two years ago.Then, Haylee finished 18th in the under-15 division at the world championships in Canada and she is aiming to improve on that result this time around.“I would just like to do my best and try to get a higher ranking than I did in Canada,’’ she said.A top 10 finish is not out of the question, as according to John Palmer, she is the only Australian girl who can perform a triple twist.Haylee, who is in Year 10 at Eaglehawk Secondary College, has also mastered a difficult full-in, full-out manoeuvre, which involves two separate twists within the one aerial act. She won the junior elite tumbling section at the Queensland championships and Victorian titles, where she also teamed up with Jaclyn McAliece to take third place in the under-17 synchronised trampoline section.Mr Palmer said it was amazing to watch Haylee in action, as she was a fearless, dynamic athlete.But he said she also had a great attitude and loads of determination, which helped her get to the elite level of tumbling.This is Haylee’s seventh year in the sport and she has a swag of trophies and medals as evidence of her talent.Latisha Painter:Watching members of Cirque du Soleil performing their breathtaking stunts on television inspired Latisha Painter to tumble.Then just four years old, Latisha began travelling from her Echuca home to John Palmer’s Bendigo gym to twist and turn like her circus idols.Now she is on the verge of making her first Australian tumbling team, and hopes a good performance at the national clubs titles next weekend will see her on her way to Russia for the world age group championships later this year.Latisha won the 11-12 years section at the Victorian titles in April, but had to qualify twice to make the squad.She had hoped to achieve this at the recent NSW state event, but was forced to pull out because of the swine flu epidemic.Mum Lauren said Latisha would have needed to be in quarantine for a week afterwards and decided not to miss that much school around mid-year testing time.She is in year six at Moama Anglican Grammar School.Latisha and her family spend a lot of time travelling so she can pursue her sport, so dad Garry has built her a 20-metre-long trampoline run in the back yard.“She can spend a fair bit of time practising on that, which helps cut down on the travelling a bit,’’ Mrs Painter said.Despite her tender age, Latisha can already perform somersaults with a full twist, and with a double tuck - skills she hopes will help set her up for a career in performing.“When I am older, I am hoping to get into Cirque du Soleil or diving,’’ she said. “I like all the tricks they do, because it is all based on what I can do.’’For now, she has her fingers crossed she will soon be heading off on her first overseas adventure.“I think (the world titles) would be great experience to see competitors from other countries and see how they tumble, and what they do in Russia.’’

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