Two athletes from Excel Gymnastics in Palmer won all-around titles in their age groups last weekend at the USA Gymnastics Region 2 championships in Corvallis, Oregon.
Meika Lee won the Level 9-Junior 4 all-around crown with 37.8 points, and Ashlinn Tuning won the Level 8-Senior 3 all-around title with 38.325 points.
Lee was one of three Alaskans to qualify for next month’s Level 9 Western Championships in Spokane, Washington, where the best Level 9 gymnasts west of the Mississippi River will compete. Level 9 is one step below Level 10, which is USA Gymnastics’ highest level.
The meet in Corvallis featured the best Level 10, 9 and 8 gymnasts from Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Lee won two events and was third in two events. She topped the balance beam (9.575) and floor exercise (9.475) and placed third in vault (9.325) and uneven parallel bars (9.425).
Tuning claimed wins in the vault (9.625), bars (9.7) and floor (9.8). A fall on the balance beam prevented her from sweeping all four events.
Also qualifying for the Level 9 Western Championships were Graycen Miller of Arctic Gymnastics with a 35.675 all-around score and Kaylee Reich of Denali Gymnastics with a 34.975 all-around score.
Other top Level 8 all-around finishers from Alaska were Quincy Carpenter of Arctic Gymnastics, who was second in the Senior 2 competition; Jenna Walch of Arctic Gymnastics, third in Senior 6; Kyli Cole of Denali Gymnastics, second in Junior 4; and Lily Keelan of Excel Gymnastics, third in Junior 1.
At the Level 7 Invitational meet that ran concurrently with the Region 2 meet, two girls from Arctic Gymnastics – Keiasha Hunt and Lauren Bodeen -- shared the all-around victory in their age group with matching scores of 37.5.