ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES GYMNASTs TO COMPTETE IN FIRST CARIFTA GYMNASTICS

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Gymnastics Association (SVGGA) will be competing in the first ever CARIFTA Gymnastics Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, from November 28 to December 30, 2024, to be hosted by the CARIFTA Gymnastics Confederation.  St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be represented by two gymnasts Jordane Charles and Azaria Lewis from the Dolphin Gymnastics Academy and would compete among their peers in the USAG WAG categories for under 18 and under 16, respectively. They will be accompanied by coach and tech director LaPrise Williams and Fiona Charles Williams, general secretary acting as team manager.
Charles, a 17-year-old first year student at the Community College competed in Jamacia’s Invitational Meet in 2019 and won first place in the vaulting round, second on the uneven parallel bars and third All-round. She has had successes at both Caribbean Championships held in Barbados and Trinidad. She also took part in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coconut Classics Meet in 2020 where she won first for the vaulting, second for uneven parallel bars and third for both balance beam and floor, placing second for All-round. Clearly, her favourite gymnastics apparatus is the vault.
The Covid-19 pandemic restricted competitions both regionally and internationally but this didn’t stop her dedication to the sport, in fact it led her to be the first student to present the sport of gymnastics in the CSEC examination, earning her a grade 1. Charles looks forward to competing in the first CARIFTA Gymnastics Championship and representing her country.  When asked about her goals, Jordane indicated “my main goal for the sporting career is to make it to the Olympics”. She has two role models in the sport; Katelyn Ohashi and Simone Biles.
Lewis is 14-year-old fourth former at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Girls’ High School. She began her gymnastics career age 7. She is no stranger to competitions as she competed in the Caribbean Championships held in Trinidad in 2019 and placed third on balance beam, uneven parallel bars and the vault and came out third All-Around. Internationally, Lewis competed at the Manhattan Classics in 2020 where she placed first in balance beam, uneven parallel bars and the vault, second on floor and first All-round. She also contributed to the team achieving the Team Spirit Award. In the local competition; Coconut Classics Meet in 2020, she placed second in balance beam, uneven parallel bars and floor and first in vault.
Azaria’s response when asked about her goal is “to attend a college that offers gymnastics, UCLA to be precise”. She admires Simone Biles and Katelyn Ohashi in gymnastics.
This Championship is a significant occasion for our gymnasts to demonstrate their skill at the regional level and encourage regional camaraderie in the sport.
Gymnastics began in October 2015 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and so far, the team of gymnasts have competed locally, regionally and international since. The SVGGA is pleased to be part of the first CARIFTA Gymnastics and to be competing once more since the Covid-19 pandemic prevented a lot of competitions. We are proud of our gymnasts and wish them all the best in their respective events.
The Dolphin Gymnastics Academy provides comprehensive training sessions for children aged 4 and older, conducted Monday through Saturday from 3:30 p.m. at the former Mustique Hangar, ET Joshua located on the Tarmac.