GEELONG gymnast Jace Knights should raise the bar at the nationals after a solid performance at the Victorian titles last weekend.
The 15-year-old booked a ticket to his second men’s national championship after finishing third in the Level 8 parallel bars. Bianca Holt and Rhiannon Campbell, of Geelong Gymnastics, will also vie for a podium place at the women’s National Championships in Perth from July 3.
Holt, 14, and Campbell, 15, qualified for the Victorian team at try-outs in May. Both girls are confident they will do well after a stellar performance at the state titles last weekend.Holt was first overall in the women’s Level 8 category and won gold on the floor, while Campbell finished third overall. Knights, who has trained under the tutelage of coach Elijah Evans, yesterday said he would focus on the parallel bars at the men’s national championships in Brisbane next month.
He will compete in a variety of events including the vault, rings, pommel horse and floor.
‘‘Last year I was a bit nervous, I didn’t know what to expect, but this year I know what’s coming,’’ Knights said.
‘‘I’m just glad I got into the team and looking forward to getting up there.’’
Evans was confident Knights, who was part of the Victorian squad that came third in a team’s event last year, would do well.
‘‘He’s done really well. I think the team’s a really strong chance but at nationals it is very tough,’’ Evans said.
‘‘He’s got a good P-bar routine, that’s probably his strongest apparatus at nationals.’’
