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Aerials Leap Into Trophy Case

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Amaia Unanue, a Level 6 gymnast, competes in the vault at the C. Gene Stowe Scholarship Meet in Tampa. Unanue led the Highlands Aerials to a first-place team finish.

By Brian Gjurgevich | Highlands Today

Published: November 23, 2007

SEBRING — When Kathy Rimer walks into most gymnastics centers for a competitive meet, the owner of Sebring's Get A Grip gym is often taken aback by the glare of polished accomplishment.

"We'll go to these gyms, and they'll have these trophies lined up, sometimes two- or three-deep," she said. "We've won individual trophies in the past, but none we could display.

"Now, we have four."

Get A Grip's Highlands Aerials team earned its first-ever team trophies at the C. Gene Stowe Scholarship Meet last weekend, giving the gym its first hardware since opening in Sept. 2006.

"We entered four teams and won four trophies," Rimer said, who noted her team had competed in five meets before taking team prizes. "And they look wonderful."

Shannon Gibbs and Amaia Unanue pushed the Aerials to a first-place finish in Level 6, as Gibbs took first-place honors in the vault and floor and Unanue finished second in the bars and beam.

The Aerials also took third-place honors in Level 3, led by Kalie Christian's second-place finish in the bars and fifth-place mark in all-around. Dominique Juliano also impressed with a 9.050 in the bars for second place, while Raevenne Vann and scored high on the vault with a 9.0 and 8.850, respectively.

In Level 4, Katie Stoll took home the team's first-ever trophy with a seventh-place finish in the all-around at 31.100, while Larissa Fantetti took eighth with a 30.350.

Veterans Kiri Garner and Leah Cisneros also led the Aerials to a fourth-place prize in Level 5.

The teams are coached by Grace Kovens (Level 3) and Trisha Schroeder and Kelly Bampounis (Level 4,5 and 6).

"Our coaches are amazing," Rimer said. "I'm amazed by the coaching talent we've found in Highlands County."

The Aerials begin their competitive schedule in January, vying for the regional division titles and placements in the state and national AAU championships.

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