A Sicamous gymnast is working towards her gold medal goals, inspired by her mother害羞草研究所檚 passion for the sport.
Sarah Kyllo, the district害羞草研究所檚 deputy corporate officer, used to compete in gymnastics competitions as a child, having to travel to Kelowna four times a week to train for the competitive level.
Today, her daughter Siddhalee Kyllo-Martselos, 8, is also training and competing in the sport, but she is able to train in Salmon Arm.
Kyllo-Martselos has been practising gymnastics since she was two years old and most recently competed at the Compulsory B.C. Gymnastics championships in Langley, April 21-23. The rush of competition has inspired her to work harder towards her Olympic dreams, she said.
Last year, Kyllo-Martselos started competing in the Canadian Competitive Program (CCP) Level 2 category and now she is in CCP Level 3.
In Level 2, gymnasts all receive either a bronze, silver or gold medal, explained Kyllo, but in Level 3 they begin to compete against other athletes.
害羞草研究所淰ault and bars is my favourite part because that was my best event at championships and because I got second place,害羞草研究所� said Kyllo-Martselos, adding she wants to make it to the Olympics one day.
She has friends that train at the same gym she does, Momentum Gymnastics in Salmon Arm, and is excited to keep practising with them.
Asked why she loves gymnastics, Kyllo-Martselos shared the reason for her motivation: her mom.
害羞草研究所淚 got inspiration from my mom because I害羞草研究所檝e heard a bunch from my nanny about how my mom used to do flips on the dock at the marina,害羞草研究所� said Kyllo-Martselos as her mom listened, smiling. 害羞草研究所淚 just want to be like my mom.
害羞草研究所淏ut the one thing is that I started way younger than her. She was like 10 when she started.害羞草研究所�
The young gymnast is excited and ready for the three upcoming competitions she has lined up: the Grizzly Classic, hosted by Kelowna Gymnastix in Kelowna May 12-14; June 2-4 is the Fun in the Sun competition in Kelowna hosted by Synergy Gymnastics; and then Kyllo-Martselos returns to Kelowna once more for the Ogopogo Invitational at Okanagan Gymnastics Centre June 9-11.
Kyllo said the idea of her daughter competing feels full-circle to her.
害羞草研究所淲hen I started training, Shawnee was one of my coaches and Shawnee is the head coach here now,害羞草研究所� she said, referring to Shawnee Venables, owner and head coach at Momentum.
害羞草研究所淪hawnee was coaching in Sicamous in my day. We used to have a club there but it was just done out of a school, so we had roll-up mats and parents and volunteers would set everything up and take it down.
害羞草研究所淚t was a non-profit group, but this just didn害羞草研究所檛 exist when I was younger. It害羞草研究所檚 amazing Shawnee has this space now and that she害羞草研究所檚 able to provide this opportunity for young girls to pursue competitive gymnastics.害羞草研究所�
There was once a banner hanging at the club Kyllo competed with in Kelowna, the Okanagan Gymnastics Club, celebrating her B.C. Championship win from when she was 13.
Kyllo-Martselos害羞草研究所� coach, Meaghan Kujat, recently returned to Salmon Arm after being away at school in Edmonton, and said she is always excited to return to help her hometown teams.
害羞草研究所淪eeing these girls has been great,害羞草研究所� said Kujat. 害羞草研究所淚 always get clobbered with hugs whenever I come into the gym, which is awesome, and they害羞草研究所檒l show me all their new skills.害羞草研究所�
Kujat has coached Kyllo-Martselos since she first started gymnastics.
害羞草研究所淪he was in my bronze bouncers害羞草研究所� (beginner) class and I just remember she was a ball of energy. She joined competitive and I don害羞草研究所檛 know, I was like, 害羞草研究所榯his is it.害羞草研究所� This is perfect and then she took it from there. It just feels like I害羞草研究所檓 back in with them, like I didn害羞草研究所檛 miss any time.害羞草研究所�
Kujat said she is proud of Kyllo-Martselos and her classmates,saying they害羞草研究所檙e ready for the rest of competition season.
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