Best in 60 gymnastics competition highlights from the 2017 Luau in Leos hosted by New Heights Gymnastics. This video showcases some of the athletes that we will see representing Ohio at the upcoming Region 5 Championships.
Check out the Luau in Leos coverage page for more competition videos and results https://region5gyminsider.com/insider-news/2017-luau-in-leos-at-kalahari-resort/
Held at Kalahari Resort, the Luau in Leo’s hosted by New Heights in Ohio, is one the premier events in Region 5. Gym’s from across the Region make their way to this jungle themed resort in search of fun, a watermark experience and of course one of the largest competitions in the latter part of the season. Luau in Leo’s is one of the final tuneups before the 9/10 State Meets begin. New Heights always does a fantastic job with this fun competition, I look forward to it as a close to the regular season each year. It also gives Region 5 Insider a chance to see some of the Ohio teams we do not normally get to see during the regular season.
Meet Results
Level 10
Age Group A
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Age Group B
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Age Group C
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Age Group D
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Age Group E
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Team Awards
Full Results http://www.meetintegrity.com/meets/2016-2017/Luau/ (Pineapple Gym)
Meet Videos
Michigan Gymnastics has a rich history of excellence, with long standing clubs consistently producing talented young athletes. This weekend those clubs all meet in the Cereal City to begin the journey to the 2017 JO National Championships. The Level 10 session was filled to the brim with talent, at times hard to concentrate on one specific event or team, because there was so much going on around me, I almost needed more cameras!
There was a tremendous amount of outstanding gymnastics happening this weekend, many great routines, unique skills and new experiences. However, this year was definitely the year of seconds, Kai Rivers claimed her 2nd consecutive AA title, Alyssa Al-Ashari
returned from the Elite level to claim her 2nd AA title and Anne Maxim got a second chance at the AA title she missed out on last year. For Anne it was the perfect way to end her Michigan JO Career!
One of my favorite parts of Level 10 State Meet is the camaraderie and feeling of “Team” that is felt throughout the entire arena. It does not matter what color leotard you are wearing or what team you are on because everyone embraces one another. All the girls cheer for each other, work through the difficult moments and celebrate the successful moments together one big Team. The coaches are the same way, they help each other out, they help each 
other athletes out and they get everyone hyped up and ready to go out there and do their very best each time. This kind of atmosphere and culture was definitely built through being part of Region 5 and what it means to be part of Region 5. It is truly a special sight to see at the State level for sure.
The next stop on the road to the 2017 National Championships is the Level 9/10 Regionals, which will be held at the Indy Convention Center in Indianapolis, the same site as the JO Nationals. Athletes who obtained the 34.00 qualifying score at the state meet will move onto regionals, from there the top 7 of their age group will qualify on to the National Championships.
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Meet Results
Level 10
Junior A
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Junior B
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Senior A
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Senior B
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Team Results
Full Results: http://michiganstatemeet.com/docs/results/level-7-10/session-03.pdf
Meet Videos
The gymnastics competition season took a leap into championship time with state titles on the line and regional qualification scores to be achieved. The state championships are the start line for the journey to the Region 5 Dream Team and qualifying to JO Nationals. Illinois is always one of the strongest states in Region 5 and looks to continue that this championship season. This year, Illinois level 10 state meet was a mixed bag of highs and lows in performance but not short on talent and big score potential. The meet began early friday morning in Redbird Arena at ISU with the junior session which featured seven former jo national qualifiers. Legacy Elite’s Andrea Li continued her successful 2017 campaign winning her second consecutive state level 10 all around title with a 38.7 along with 3 event titles for Junior B. Li was more then one full point ahead of second place finisher Dani Petrousek of Rockford who posted a 37.575. JerQuavia Henderson of Gym Corner, better known as “Q”, was very impressive and finished off her competition with a 9.775 for the JRB state vault title and a third place all around score of 37.175. JerQuavia finished second for Junior 8 at the 2016 Easterns and is one to keep an eye on at regionals.
The Junior A title was won by first year level 10 Ella Cesario of Legacy Elite. She claimed the vault title with a 9.65 while posting a 37.575 in the all around. Hannah Oliveros of IGI has persevered through a tough last two years (check out her interview) to win the floor title with 9.6 and claim the silver medal in the all around with a 37.125. Third place in the all around went to first year level 10 Haley Tyson of Phenom who posted a 37.075. 2016 JO national qualifier Reese Samuelson of Rockford claimed two individual states titles with her 9.375 on bars and 9.475 on beam which she shared with Legacy Elites Erika Penamante. GymNasti’s Ashley Resch stood out to me as one of the athletes who may not be well known in our region yet but could be a legitimate contender at regionals this year. She finished top 3 on vault and floor and would have been an all around player if not for a fall on beam.
In Senior A, Aerial’s Payton Richards, 2016 JO National AA champion, won her second straight state all around title despite a fall on beam. She also won vault (9.775) and bars (9.65) which features her new double front half out dismount. Second place all around went to UGA’s Caitlin Satler with a 37.45. Caitlin a true story of determination and perseverance, claimed two state titles on beam (9.425) and floor (9.575). Kaitlyn Higgins continued Rockford’s success at state with their 2nd top 3 all around performance with her third place 37.00. My stand out moment of the state meet came from this age group and Linda Zvat of Flip Star. Linda was impressive on vault with a nice layout Tsuk full for a 9.725, which was one of two silver medals she won, other one being on floor (T-9.5).
The top all around score of the championships was posted by Senior B all around champion Nia Dennis from Legacy Elite. Nia scored a 9.6 or higher to win all four events on her way to her 38.75 all around total. 2016 Illinois state all around champion Anastasia Webb from IGI took second with her 37.575. Third went to hometown gymnast Savannah Remkus 0f Rising Star with her 37.55. Savannah competed in her last Illinois state meet on the campus she will call home for the next four years of college. On the comeback trail from a year of struggles, Wesley Stephenson from Legacy Elite had a strong showing posting a 37.525 for 4th and is looking to be peaking at the right time.
Meet Videos
Interviews
Meet Results
Junior A
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Junior B
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Senior A
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Senior B
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Team Results (Combined)
Full Results:
Photo Gallery
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Energym’s Aleah Leman is finishing up her last year of JO Gymnastics, in the fall she will be moving onto the next chapter, collegiate gymnastics as a member of the Lindenwood Lady Lions Gymnastics Team. Leah, who has been to the JO National Championships, is also part of her high school 
gymnastics team and has found success at the State Level with her team. Lets get to know Aleah a little better as she embarks on her final few meets of her JO Career.
How did you get into gymnastics? How old were you? My parents put me in gymnastics class at three years old for fun
What is your favorite event? My favorite event is floor
What is your favorite part of gymnastics? My favorite part of gymnastics is spending time with my teammates inside and out of the gym. I enjoy working together with my team, especially in high school gymnastics, to achieve a common goal.
What college do you plan on attending? I will be attending Lindenwood University
What is your favorite meet to compete at? My favorite meet to compete at is the Gym Quarters Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Louis
Biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? My biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far is committing to Lindenwood University for gymnastics. It has always been my dream to compete in college.
Favorite skill to train and/or compete My favorite skill to train is my yurchenko 
layout full because it is a little challenging for me
Dream skill? My dream skill is a front aerial, back handspring layout on beam
Who do you most admire in the sport of gymnastics? I admire Simone Biles because of her attitude on the competition floor whether things are going her way or not
What is your all-time favorite leotard? Do you still your very first leo? My favorite leo of all time is my current competition leo because it is very slimming. I don’t have my first leo anymore
What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is Priceless
What is your go to playlist or song before meets? I don’t really listen to music before meets but I generally listen to Christian music
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a youth ministry event coordinator or assistant when I grow up
Where do you go to High School? I go to DeKalb High School
What is your favorite color? My favorite color is turquoise
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? I enjoy baking/cooking, spending time with friends and family, and reading my Bible outside of gymnastics
Favorite Gymnastics Moment? My favorite gymnastics moment was at high school 
state this year. The meet didn’t go exactly how I wanted, team-wise or individually. We were waiting for the meet to finish up and I just had a moment of complete joy because I got to do a sport that I love with a team of girls that I love and I knew that I couldn’t ask for anything more in that moment.
If you weren’t a gymnast, what sport would you do or try? I always wanted to do figure skating if I wasn’t a gymnast but I am nowhere near graceful enough for that so I would probably end up doing track and cross country
If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live? I would want to live in Costa Rica because I love all the outdoor activities and laid back lifestyle
If you could have lunch with anyone dead or alive who would it be and why? I would have lunch with C.S. Lewis because he is an extremely wise man and I would love to be able to just chat with him about faith.
Tell me something interesting about yourself…. Last summer, I traveled to Brazil on a mission trip with my church. I am still in contact with a few of my friends that I met there.
Check out Aleah’s 2016 JO Nationals Floor Routine
