43
Olympic Dreams gymnasts capture state championships
By Greg Gulas
LIBERTY
Four members from Liberty’s Olympic Dreams Gymnastics recently earned Ohio USA Gymnastics state championships.
Two boys team members, David Toussaint and Shane Lindstrom, earned their titles during championship competition in Broadview Heights March 26-28 while both girls champions, Emma Omerzzo and Parker Morris, won their titles in Cincinnati the same weekend.
Both boys are past state champions with Toussaint, a junior at Howland High School and a gymnast since age 3, winning the all-around title in his level and age group (Level 10, age 15).
He was tops in three of six individual events as well, winning still rings, vault and pommel horse in addition to his all-around crown.
“David swings one of the hardest pommel horse routines in the nation and could one day represent the USA in that event at the Olympics, World Championships and even at international events. He’s that good,” boys coach Dave Forister said. “He pieced together his best still rings routine at the state championship as well.”
Lindstrom, 10, resides in Canfield and is a fourth-grader at South Range Elementary School.
He, too, won the all-around competition at his level (Level 6, age 10) and like Toussaint, was also a four-time champion after placing first on floor, parallel bars and high bars.
“Shane is a young boy who has the potential to make the national team down the road,’ Forister said. “That’s why he has his sights set on the Future Stars event this fall, which will take place at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.”
Lindstrom and Toussaint will be joined by five of their teammates starting today when they compete in the Region 5 Championships in Zionsville, Ind.
The competition lasts through Sunday with Dylan King, Aidan Warga, Dylan Colangelo, Will Woodfint and Nicky Lewis also set for competition.
“Shane and Nicky are looking for a top-six, all-around finish in order to make the regional team while Will is looking to place as high as he can against other competitors his age as he eyes regional floor and vault titles,” Forister said. “As for Dylan, Aidan, David and Dylan, they are hoping to qualify for the USAG Junior Championships, which take place May 6-10 in Daytona Beach, Fla.”
King, a top student in his class with a 4.0 grade-point average, will also be honored at the May event when he receives USAG’s Academic All-American Award.
“I have been coaching for over 40 years and only four other gymnasts that I coached ever received this award. They all went on to become doctors so it’s very unique when one is able to balance athletics and academics, and do so at such a high level,” Forister said.
The girls champions are coached by Carol King but unlike their male counterparts, their levels do not advance to regional competition.
Omerzzo is a fifth-grader at Maplewood Middle School, winning her all-around competition (Xcel Gold, age 11) while also taking first-place in uneven bars and balance beam.
Morris, a kindergartner from Hartford, also won her all-around competition (Xcel Bronze, age 6) and placed first on uneven bars, floor and balance beam.
“Emma is very graceful and pretty to watch. She’s a very hard worker and someone who is always looking to better her performance,” King said. “Parker understands all of the corrections and applies them to her body shape. She’s a great listener and someone who is able to understand and then apply direction. For that age group, that is most impressive.”
Three other girls, Claire Gagliard, NaVeyah Parisi and Keely Young will compete in the upcoming Region 5 Championships, which will be held April 17-19 at the Infante Wellness Center in Niles.
Gagliardi is from Hubbard and qualified for Junior Olympic Nationals last year, finishing second overall on the uneven bars.
At 14 years of age, she has already verbally committed to Ohio State University.
Young is also from Hubbard and Parisi hails from Warren.
Head coach Dawn Toussaint noted that each girl’s strength is the uneven bars.
“Next weekend, local residents will have an opportunity to watch some of the best gymnasts in the country,” Toussaint said. “At Level 10, Claire and Keely will be looking to qualify for the Jr. Olympic National Championships next month in Iowa while NaVeyah at Level 9 is hoping to qualify for the Eastern National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida, also being held next month.”
Region 5 is comprised gymnasts from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana.
Today’s action begins at 3 p.m.