Bermuda gymnasts head to Chicago

The Bermuda Gymnastics Association has announced their team for the Commonwealth Games.

Zantae Dill, Sydney Mason, Gabby Vincent and Morgan Beckles will be in Glasgow in July to represent the island at the prestigious event.

Dill, Mason and Vincent are also part of a nine-strong team that will attend the ICI ‘Chicago Style’ Gymnastics Meet in Chicago this Saturday.

The travelling party includes two other Bermuda Olympic Association’s C Level Elite Athletes: Clara James, and Danielle Wall.

Samantha Soares was slated to compete but is unfortunately out with an ankle injury.

The team will travel with head coach Duke Nelligan and assistant head coach Mandi Baughman. 

The meet hosts over 4,000 gymnasts at Chicago’s historical Navy Pier and is known as “the largest women’s gymnastics invitational meet in the world”. 

Ms Baughman said in a press release: “The Bermuda Gymnastics team members have entered this meet for several years and are looking forward to once again showing off their skills on an international stage.”

The level 7 competition will take place on Saturday morning and the Level 9 meet that evening.

Baughman explained: “The group participating in this year’s Chicago Style is using the meet as a stepping stone for upcoming international competitions.

“Danielle Wall and Clara James will be traveling to Aracaju, Brazil on March 24 to attend the Junior Pan American Championships.

“Just four months later, Zantae Dill, Sydney Mason, and Gabby Vincent will join Morgan Beckles (who is attending the State University of New York, Cortland and training as part of their gymnastics team) to represent Bermuda at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“The remaining competitors will turn their sights to the USAIGC World Championships, held in Orlando in early July. 

“The gymnasts will also attend Friday night’s NCAA Gymnastics Competition, to watch four of the USA’s top collegiate programs perform: Bowling Green, Boise State, University of Illinios – Chicago, and University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

“This is an important chance for the Bermuda gymnasts to be exposed to college gymnastics and start considering their future opportunities.”

Selected athletes 

Level 9

Tabytha Hofheins (Warwick Academy)

Zantae Dill (Saltus)

Sydney Mason (BHS)

Gabby Vincent (Warwick Academy)

Clara James (BHS)

Danielle Wall (BHS)

Anna Francoeur (Warwick Academy) 

Level 7

Ava Marshall (BHS)

Gianna Webbe (Warwick Academy)