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WATCH: ‘Best of the best’ young B.C. gymnasts compete

First time for provincial Junior Olympic championships
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Jayda Francis, 8 and Emily Klenin, 9 of the Langley Gymnastics Foundation wait their turn at the Langley Events Centre during the Junior Olympic championships. Dan Ferguson Langley Advance Times

Among the hundreds of elite young athletes jumping, flipping and tumbling at the Langley Events Centre (LEC) field house on Saturday, Jayda Francis, 8 and Emily Klenin, 9 of the Langley Gymnastics Foundation seemed more relaxed than most.

It may have been the first-ever Gymnastics BC provincial championships for competitors who train at the Junior Olympic (JO) Level 1-5 categories, but for Jayden and Emily, it was familiar territory.

Langley Events Centre, the inaugural host site, is where their club is based, and the foundation happens to be putting on the event together with Gymnastics B.C.

That also made it a familiar space for Dumitru Avarvarei, women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) head coach at the foundation, who was there with the pair of young competitors.

They were among some 450 gymnasts between the ages of five and 12 from across the province, who were competing at the two-day 2019 B.C. WAG Junior Olympic Compulsory Championships set to wrap up Sunday (April 7).

A foundation Facebook post described the field of competitors as “the best of the best.”

READ MORE: VIDEO: Langley hosting high-flying fun at annual gymnastics tournament

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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com

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Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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