BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 28, 2021 – The U.S. women swept the podium in the 15-16 double mini trampoline competition, while Xavier Harper of Oak Ridge, Tenn./Premier Athletics Knoxville added a silver in men’s 13-14 tumbling on the final day of the 2021 Trampoline Gymnastics World Age Group Competitions Sunday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Overall, U.S. athletes earned 12 medals across the 13-14, 15-16 and 17-21 year-old age divisions in individual trampoline, tumbling, double mini and synchronized trampoline during this year’s event.
U.S. gymnasts, led by gold medalist Josie Bain of Litchfield Park, Ariz./North Valley Gymnastics, delivered the top-four women’s 15-16 double mini performances off the day. Bain’s 68.600 topped the field, followed by Rosalie Thongphay of San Tan Valley, Ariz./USA Youth Fitness who took silver with a 68.300 and Jackie Kent of Downers Grove, Ill./Elite Sports Complex who earned bronze with a 67.500. Ava Binkowski of Naperville, Ill./Elite Sports Complex (67.400) was fourth.
The U.S. qualified three athletes to the men’s 15-16 double mini trampoline final. Alexander Cole of Washington, D.C./Dynamite Gymnastics finished sixth with a 66.000. Ryan Maccagnan of Colorado Springs, Colo./Stars Gymnastics (60.800) was seventh, and Van Larson of Phoenix, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center (57.500) was eighth. Belguim’s Brent Deklerck took gold with a 71.500. Marshall Frost (70.600) and Omo Aikeremiokha (69.700), both of Great Britain, were second and third.
Harper led U.S. athletes in men’s 13-14 tumbling. The 2021 U.S. tumbling champion in the youth 13-14 division posted a 32.100 en route to the silver medal. Eli Nilson of Draper, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling (60.200) was tenth, while Micah Miner, who earned bronze in double mini earlier in the week, finished 14th with a 58.100. Great Britain’s Bailey Forbes (33.400) took the top spot. Matvei Belov of the Russian Gymnastics Federation claimed bronze with a 32.000.
On the women’s side, Skye Hawk of Allen, Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy and Emma Cox of Webb City, Mo./The Flip Shop advanced to the event final. Hawk finished in the sixth position with a 30.300. Cox was eighth with a 26.800. London Hunt of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre was also in action, earning a top-ten finish with a 60.300. The Russian Gymnastics Federation’s Aleksandra Liamina (33.900) and Adelina Minazova (31.400) took the top two spots, followed by Great Britain’s Alicia Field (31.300).
The U.S. pair of AJ Noble of Austin, Texas/North Valley Gymnastics and Jace Williams of Cave Creek, Ariz./North Valley Gymnastics posted a top-five finish in men’s 17-21 synchronized trampoline behind a finals score of 46.790. Krista McNary of Victoria, Texas/Victoria Gymagic and Michelle Sherman of Holmdel, N.J./Elite Trampoline Academy were 16th in the women’s division with a 37.450. Pairs from Kazakhstan (49.910), France (49.210) and Belarus (48.650) topped the podium on the men’s side, while the Russian Gymnastics Federation (47.320), Denmark (46.140) and Germany (45.870) rounded out the top three for the women.