Below is the official list of the 2018 Top 10 Gymnast of the Year brought to you by International Gymnastics Camp. We started with nearly 300 nominations from the 2017-2018 season, then narrowed the list to 100, then to 45, and from your votes and participation, here we are with the Top 10!
I am a 14-year-old gymnast competing Level 10 at MG Elite in Morganville, New Jersey. This past year I lived away from home with a host family because my family lived on Long Island and I believed that the coaches and gymnasts at MG Elite would help me achieve my personal best. I pride myself on being dedicated and determined in everything I do, so this decision did not surprise my family. It was hard living away from home, but it was worth it. I had a great season, thanks to my coaches, Maggie and Vicky, who truly know how to bring the best out of me.
I was 2018 Level 10 NATIONAL FLOOR champion and second on vault. I was also REGIONAL ALL AROUND (38.525) and BARS (9.85) champion and NJ STATE ALL AROUND, BARS and BEAM champion. I also got a 38+ on 5 meets this season and placed first All Around in 5 meets including Parkettes and Fantasia. I also received my highest level 10 beam score (9.8) at the Woga Classic. The icing on the cake was having my bars and beam scores on the top 100 and being nominated to the Top 45 Gymnasts.
I continue to upgrade all my skills and work hard to keep getting better. I especially love bars where my goal is to get a 10.0 and to be one of the best on bars in the country.
I have been very fortunate to have had many successful years in gymnastics. In 2015, I was Level 8 Region 6 Champion and placed first in All Around, Bars, beam and vault. I was also chosen to attend many Elite Developmental Camps. In prior years, I was also Level 7 All Around, Beam and Floor Champ and Level 6 All Around and bars champ. I have verbally committed to UCLA for the class of 2022/23 and can’t wait to be a Bruin!
I am very lucky to be surrounded by great coaches, family and friends that support my passion. Thank you for nominating me for the Top 45 Gymnast of the Year.
I studied the sport of gymnastics as a little girl, hoping one day to actually take classes. I would watch You Tube videos and stare at library book pictures; admiring the beauty of this sport. FINALLY, my parents signed me up, at the age of 10, for my very first recreation class! That was in February 2015. Since then, I have worked really hard to learn as much as I can in a short amount of time! I still study the sport and make goals for myself every season. It seems like yesterday, when I started learning basics on the equipment.
My first season to compete was in 2016 at Level 7. I was able to test out of Levels 2-6 in about 9 months!! My parents and I didn't really understand what that meant as it was happening, though. I just loved learning new skills and my coaches thought I was doing them technically correct. It didn't seem "special" at the time; it just felt "right."
In my level 7 season, it started fantastic! In two meets, I won floor and beam and earned 2nd All Around. Sadly, one day in practice, I fell and broke my elbow. I had to have major elbow surgery and 4 months of rehab. It was so frustrating! As soon as my season started, it was over. But, I fought hard and worked hard to keep a positive attitude, focusing on my future goals. Soon, I was training for Level 8 and moved to Sarasota, FL with my Coach. It was a really big decision and an exciting commitment for my whole family. All of my rehab, and hard work paid off in my Level 8 season in 2017!! It was the first FULL season I had ever competed!! I earned State Champion for Floor and Beam! At Regionals, I won the Floor and All Around Gold!! Last season, in 2018, Level 9 was incredible!! I continued to train hard and learn a lot of new skills. Competing these new skills was definitely challenging, but I embraced the challenge. All season, I was in the top 5 on every event. I won GOLD at every meet but one on floor and beam! I also won All Around at every meet with a high score of the season of 38.500!!
I am the Florida State Champion for Bars, Beam, Floor and ALL Around!! I am the Florida Regional Champion for Beam, Floor and All Around!! Easterns was an amazing experience and I felt so thankful to qualify and compete there. I had a great meet, earning a Silver medal on Floor and 5th All Around. I am currently training Level 10 and hope to qualify as a Junior Elite this 2019 season. Gymnastics continues to feed a deep hunger inside of my heart. That little girl, who just started not too long ago, is still hungry for more!!
Tiana is 11 years old and currently competing Level 10 and preparing for HOPEs season. She started gymnastics at 6yrs old. She is training at San Mateo gymnastics in Belmont CA. She has won the NorCal state Championship 5 times in a row. Past season she competed Level 8 and won both State and Regional Championship. Tiana also qualified to Hopes 10-11 and competed in both American classic and GK U.S Classic.
During her Level 8 Season Tiana hit 4 out 4 routines in every single meet. She scored 38 and above in every meet except her very first meet and placed 1st AA in 6 of 7 meets. At Nor-Cal State Championship Tiana won 1st place in all 4 events and got the highest AA score in the entire meet.
Current update: Soon after her Level 8 season, Tiana scored out Level 9 and started competing Level 10. At her first Level 10 meet Tiana fell 4 times and scored a low 33.9 AA score. With hard work and dedication she started hitting 4 out 4 routines in multiple meets and at the Nor-Cal Level 10 State Championship Tiana scored 37.7 AA. Just like any other gymnast Tiana also suffered from multiple injuries, from a dislocated finger to a torn ligament. She missed out on the HOPEs qualifier in February and was not able to attend the Development camp due to injuries.
Tiana’s goals for this year are to qualify to HOPEs Championship again and to do her very best at the Level 10 Regionals. Tiana’s long term goal is to become an Elite Gymnast.
Apart from gymnastics Tiana loves to travel and visit new places. She loves food and try out new things. Tiana attends public school and is in 6th grade.
Tiana is very excited and honored to be nominated for the Top 25 Gymnast of the Year.
