GymKix gymnasts grab medals at Regionals
By BRITTANY BYRD
Special to the Leader-Press
Four Gymkix Royals gymnasts competed against the best from seven states in the region while bringing home gold as well as 12 individual medals between the four.
After qualifying for Level 7 Regionals based on their outstanding performances at State in March, Royals team members Autumn Cabell, Catalina Esquivel, Morgan Noble, and Keegan Poindexter packed their bags and headed up to Plano to represent the state of Texas at the Region 3 Regional Championships on April 30.
Cabell, Esquivel, Noble, and Poindexter competed alongside more than 70 other athletes total in their respective age divisions between the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
All four athletes closed out their seasons with individual season-high all-around scores on top of a season-high team score.
Cabell earned medals on all four individual events and the All-around competition, recording a season-high on Balance Beam and Floor.
She comes home knowing the culmination of her hard work earned her a place as the 4th best in the Region on Vault between seven states total.
She looks to compete as a Level 8 next season as a 2023 Royal.
Esquivel finished out her season on a high note on Balance Beam, an event she struggled with early on in her season.
Closing out her year with a big routine was her goal going into the competition. She stayed in control and in happy spirits throughout the event, a mindset that helped her earn a medal and achieve 9th place in her respective age division.
Ending the season with a season-high All-Around score was just icing on the cake for her.
Noble earned season-high scores on Vault, Balance Beam, and Floor as well as All-Around.
Noble was all smiles throughout the competition as she danced her way to a 9.5 out of 10.00 on Floor Exercise earning herself a 9th place medal to add to her personal best score on the event.
She finishes her Level 7 year and looks forward to dancing and dominating Level 8 in her 2023 Season.
Poindexter brought home a gold medal and earned the title of GymKix’s first ever Regional Champion.
She recorded a rewarding 9.75 on Floor, shockingly this was not even her Season-High score on the event. Poindexter has brought home 1st place medals on Floor from her last three meets, creating a “three-peat” on her favorite event.
She earned the highest All- Around score of her Royals teammates, scoring a season-high 37.775 which earned her a spot on the podium in 2nd place for All-Around at Regionals.
She also recorded a season-high on the Balance Beam which gave her a little more jingle around her neck, a 4th place medal.
She, alongside Cabell, received medals on all four events as well as individual All-Around. Setting Level 8 in her direct sights, she looks forward to a new floor routine and competing with her Royals teammates in the 2023 season.
With the 2022 season transitioning into summer and pre-season for the next year, the entire Royals team looks to continue training hard, bringing home more medals, personal bests, and above all- team comradery.
The Royals finish this season out with their healthiest mindsets, happiest memories, and personal highs that leave them eager and wanting more for 2023.