Gymnasts have successful provincials

By Lethbridge Herald on April 8, 2025.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Holly Hildebrandt performs a balance on the beam on Tuesday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Over 800 young gymnastics athletes and over 4,000 spectators  from around the province convened at the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre  over the weekend for what was a successful Provincial Championships for  local competitors in the age seven to 18 range.

The local club, West Wind Gymnastics Club, had  high finishes within their group including Holly Hildebrandt finishing first overall in the Xcel Silver division after placing first overall  with an accumulation score from her first place performance in vault, bar and beam and second in floor performances.

“It was very shocking because obviously I don’t really do that well at competitions,” said Hildebrandt.

“But I was pretty surprised  that I got that.”

Hildebrandt felt her strength was on the beams.

“Sometimes people don’t really  smile but my dad told me to smile,” said Hildebrandt, while talking about the beams.

Hildebrandt wants to focus on increasing her dancing for her routines.

“It was really fun to compete with my friends and work hard with them,” said Hildebrandt.

Molly Lawrence participated in the  Xcel Platinum division and placed first after coming first in vault, coming in second in both bar and beams and had a  seventh place finish in floor performances.

“I did try my hardest on floor,” said Lawrence.

“My tumbling was going good and stuff. I think I just need to put more effort on the expressions I guess for my floor.”

Lawrence thought the championship was competitive.

“Especially for floor, a lot of people have lots of expressions in floor,” said Lawrence.

“It’s a very big competition I guess for that.”

Lawrence can be proud of her accomplishment as she can walk into West Wind Gymnastics Club and be see her name on banner.

“Now every time I walk in I’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah I did that competition and I got first overall,’” said Lawrence.

Coach Rianna Hildahl had a sense of proudness after both Hildebrandt and Lawrence’s performances.

“they were really having the attitude heading into it of like I want to win this, I want to do well and it showed in all of their routines,” said Hildahl.

Hildahl spoke about how the young gymnasts can build off their performances.

“Just knowing that they’re capable of that and trying to push themselves to just do a little bit more each time that they attend training, ” said Hildahl.

Other West Wind gymnasts Seya Singer and Norah Peake finished second overall in their Level 4 divisions and Holland Vaz came third overall in the Xcel Silver division.