Gymnast trained in Boardman earns national honor

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Neighbors | Submitted .Eleven-year-old Faith Anderson is trained at Youngstown Gymnastics Center in Boardman. The East Palestine resident qualified at the TOPS National Testing and received an invitation to a special camp.

Eleven-year-old Faith Anderson qualified at the USA Gymnastic’s annual regional and state Talent Opportunity Program Selection testing and earned an invitation to attend a special camp with the national training staff at the Bela Karolyi’s ranch in Houston.

Anderson resides in East Palestine and is coached by Sandy Sabo at Youngstown Gymnastics Center in Boardman. She attends the Ohio Virtual Academy, where she received the Head of School Award for Academic Achievement, and trains an average of 20 hours per week in the gym.

At the national testing, the gymnasts performed physical abilities tests ,including pull-ups, leg lifts, flexibility, sprint, rope climb, vertical jump, cast handstands and press handstands. They also performed required skills on each of the events, including vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.

The scores were tallied and the top 20 gymnasts in each age division were named to the TOPS National Team. Approximately 3,000 girls ages 8-11 from across the country participated and 273 were chosen.

Youngstown Gymnastics Center is owned by Tim Bosick and is located at 5500 Market Street in Boardman.