The Tribune

Gymnastics Federation of the Bahamas gymnasts are expected to compete in the 2014 Senior Pan American Championships August 25 to September 1 in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto, Canada. This represents the first time Bahamians will be competing in such a prestigious event.  

The team consists of three gymnasts - 20-year-old Simone Hall, 19-year-old Toneka Johnson and 17-year-old Kianna Dean, accompanied by Nassau ‘Nastics’ head coach Trevor Ramsey and assistant coach Alexandra (Muffy) Deal.  

The Senior Pan Am Games is a qualifier for the 2015 Pan American Games.  

Twenty-four nations from around the Caribbean and North and South America will be competing. Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the US are expected to have the largest contingent of athletes.  

Over 700 gymnasts will test their skills in four disciplines of the sport - rhythmic, trampoline, women’s artistic and men’s artistic gymnastics.  

The Bahamas team has just concluded a two-week training session abroad in preparation for this high level meet. 

“We have had a very productive two-week stay here at Branch Gymnastics in Michigan. The girls have been working their hardest and I am comfortable that we will get very respectable performances from the three of them. This has been a wonderful experience for all of us,” said Ramsey.

Hall and Johnson both trained at Nassau ‘Nastics for 14 and 12 years respectively. They are Level 9 gymnasts and have attended many international competitions at home and abroad.

Toneka expresses mixed emotions of being nervous but also excited about attending SPAC. She anticipates that she will do her best to represent her country and her gymnastics club, Nassau ‘Nastics. 

Simone concurred that SPAC is a very high level of competition and she is determined to put her best forward.

Both girls have been in the gym the entire summer practicing on perfecting their gymnastics skills in order to bring their vault, floor, uneven bars and balance beam routines together.

“I can’t wait to get on the equipment at Branch Gymnastics,” says Johnson. “We love Nassau ‘Nastics because we grew up here but the gyms in the US are so awesome. They have pits for flipping these difficult skills and we can flip all day without getting tired or hurt”. 

Simone is also very excited about visiting Branch Gymnastics. “I was just in a huge gym in Mexico for the Pan American Olympic Festival and I learned to do my double back dismount by flipping into their huge pit. It was crazy fun and when I was ready, coach Ramsey let me do it on the landing mats. I can’t wait to perform this skill in Canada.”

Up to last year, all of Kianna’s developmental training was in the Bahamas.  In August of 2013, she relocated to the United States to complete her senior year in high school and continue her training there. She is now training to compete as a Level 9 gymnast at Branch Gymnastics in Michigan. 

As a level 8 gymnast last season, Kianna’s personal best was an all-around score of 32.925, with an impressive 9.074 on floor exercise at the Twistars Invitational in Lansing, Michigan. She has competed as a part of the Branch Gymnastics optional team in more than seven invitational meets last season 

The Senior Pan American Gymnastics Championships is one of the largest competitions that is hosted by the Pan American Gymnastics Union. The Gymnastics Federation of the Bahamas is thrilled to make its first appearance there with its dedicated team of gymnasts.