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Three West Wind Gymnastics athletes heading to nationals

May 16, 2018 | 1:20 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Three local athletes from the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics program at the West Wind Gymnastics Club will be heading to the Canadian National Championships in Waterloo Ontario later this month.

Following massive success at the Western Canadian Championships in April, Thoran Malitowski, Jackson Lowe, and Riley Johnson say they’re excited to experience their first competition representing Alberta at the National level.

A release from the club states Jamie Ellacott, who is the head coach of the program, has had great success increasing the size and quality of the men’s program.

Ellacott says this is the first time in the club’s history that it will be sending three athletes to Nationals.

“They have been training around 20 hours per week and deserve all of the success that they have had this year,” Ellacott said.

Ellacott has been named coach for the total team of seven boys that will travel together to the competition on May 21.

With the National Championship on the horizon, the not for profit organization is seeking financial assistance from the community.

West Wind is hoping to raise $8,000 to successfully send Malitowski, Lowe, and Johnson to their first national competition.

This will be the first of many opportunities for them to compete on the national level. In February 2019, the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer will feature artistic gymnastics and all three boys will attend the trial competition in the fall of this year.

In this short time to raise funds, the gymnastics club is offering advertising space in the gym in exchange for sponsorship and are inviting interested sponsors to come to the gym on Wednesday, May 16 between 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

This will include a meet and greet with the athletes and their two coaches, a brief tour of the facility, and an opportunity to come on the gym floor and see what they do up close and personal. 

The club has also set up a Make A Champ fund where people can donate online here to help the athletes make this a positive experience.