ST. GEORGE — Young gymnasts from St. George’s Coral Peak Gymnastics brought home numerous trophies and awards last week from the annual Utah Xcel State Meet.
The three-day event, held March 7-9 at Weber State University in Ogden, attracted 20 teams from around the state, with dozens of girls ages 5-15 competing in different categories based on their age and skill level.
Coral Peak’s teams took first place in both the gold and platinum divisions and third place in the bronze division. Additionally its very young silver team placed seventh with a score of 114.4, its best showing ever, team officials said.
Coral Peak Gymnastics head coach and gym owner Beth Julian said the outstanding performances of her athletes left her “on the verge of happy tears all day.”
“I don’t even know what to say!” Julian said as she thanked the athletes and their parents. “I am thrilled beyond words. I work with an incredible team of coaches, parents and girls. We are a gymnastics family. We love and trust each other, work together to achieve our goals and strive to become better human beings.”
“I am humbled by the strength, bravery, endurance, patience and positive attitude shown,” Julian added, noting that her teams had almost too many top-three finishers to count.
Among the many notable moments at the meet was when young Kinley Swindlehurst, competing in the age 6-7 category in the silver division, scored a 9.90 to win the the floor exercise, which Julian said is the highest score achieved by any gymnast she has coached.
In addition, Savannah Larsen-Kuerth, competing in the 12-year-old category of the platinum division, took first place in both the vault and in all-around, qualifying to represent Utah’s state team at the upcoming regional competition.
Based on their teams’ strong finishes at state, all of Coral Peak’s other gymnasts have qualified to compete at regionals, which are scheduled to be held at the San Diego Convention Center the first weekend of May.
Besides Coral Peak, two other gyms from St. George area, namely Champion Gymnastics and Bare Foot Gymnastics Club, were among those that competed in the state meet in Ogden.
Following is a summary list of Coral Peak’s top placers, grouped by division. For complete meet results, click here.
Bronze division (3rd place team, scoring 114.825)
- London Squires, 1st all-around.
- Emmie Evans, 1st vault.
- McKinley Hern, 1st beam.
- Mya Pugsley, 1st bars.
- Fallyn Harward, 1st beam.
- Klara Finlinson, 1st all-around.
- Kayla Peterson, 1st bars, 2nd all-around.
Silver division (7th place team, scoring 114.4)
- Kambria Jensen, 1st beam, 2nd all-around.
- Kinley Swindlehurst, 1st floor.
- Hayley Jackson, 1st beam, 2nd all-around.
- Whitney Adamson 1st beam, 1st floor.
Gold division (1st place team, scoring 114.7)
- Destiny Aguayo, 1st beam, 1st all-around.
- Karissa Swinson, 1st vault, 1st floor.
- Alexis Macfarlane, 1st beam, 2nd all-around.
- Neveah Estrada, 1st vault, 2nd all-around.
- Juliana Earl, 2nd all-around.
Platinum division (1st place team, scoring 113.95)
- Savannah Larsen-Kuerth, 1st vault, 1st all-around.
- Halle Mead, 3rd all-around.
- Katie Luce, 1st bars.
- Alyssa Carroll, 1st vault.
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Coral Peak gymnasts after taking third place in the bronze division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Destiny Aguayo holds up her tie-dyed state champion shirt after taking first place in the all-around in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Emmry Davidson competes on the bars during the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News L-R: Coral Peak gymnasts Kylie Healy, Karissa Swinson and Destiny Aguayo smile after their team took first place in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnasts pose with medals after taking first place in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnasts prepare to compete in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Kinley Swindlehurst (center) stands atop medals podium after winning the floor exercise event with a score of 9.90 in the silver division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Klara Finlinson wears first-place T-shirt and medal after winning the all-around event in the bronze division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnasts and coaches celebrate the team's first-place finish in the platinum division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Savannah Larsen-Keurth holds up her tie-dyed state champion shirt after taking first place in the all-around and in the vault in the platinum division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnasts prepare to compete in the silver division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Angel Hustead competes on the balance beam in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Brinlee Tuttle competes on the balance beam in the silver division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak coach Beth Julian encourages gymnast Charly Evertsen in the gold division at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Kylie Matthews competes in floor exercise at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News Coral Peak gymnast Macie Luce competes in uneven bars at the Utah Xcel State Meet, Ogden, Utah, March 7-9, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Coral Peak Gymnastics, St. George News
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