FLAGSTONE gymnast Dylan Parker has been selected to represent Queensland in the Australian Gymnastics Championships at Melbourne next month.
Parker, 12, won first place in the under 13 level seven category at the Queensland Gymnastics Senior State Championships held at the Sleeman Sports Centre in Chandler held from April 11 to 14.
He defeated athletes including Caedan McIlhatton, Lucian Hockley, Nicholas Hoole, Samuel Sofronoff, Elijah Coombs and Oliver Waterhouse.
Senior State Championship levels range from seven to 10 with Parker expected to rise to level eight next year.
Gymnasts from more than 40 clubs took part in the championship with athletes from men and women artistic gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics disciplines showcased.
The year seven Emmaus College student won gold medals for pommel, rings, high bar and vault and silver for floor and parallel bars.
He will be the top of six gymnasts in his level to travel to Melbourne for the Australian Championships from May 20.
Parker won the Men's Artistic Junior Classic at the Gold Coast in June last year.
Dylan's mother, Tanya Kendrick-Ward told the Jimboomba Times that next month would be the first time Dylan competes at a national level.
"His goal for nationals is to finish in the top 10," she said.
"The long-term goal is to represent Australia.
Parker's natural ability is strongest in Pommel and he has worked particularly hard on improving rings and parallel bars. He trains at the High Performance Gymnastics Centre at Chandler for 14.5 hours per week.
Gymnastics Queensland chief executive officer Kym Dowdell said over 375 of Queensland's best gymnasts competed for the title of state champion.
"This is one of the most important competitions on the state gymnastics calendar with gymnasts competing to be named in the Queensland State Team for the upcoming Australian National Gymnastics Championships held in Melbourne from 20 May," Ms Dowdell said.
"Representing Queensland and competing at nationals is a huge accomplishment for any gymnast so we saw the absolute best from all the athletes competing.
"The event showcased Queensland's most senior level athletes from Levels 7-10, Junior International and Senior International in both women's and men's artistic gymnastics, as well as acrobatic gymnasts.
All participating gymnasts qualified through regional events held throughout March so we certainly saw some of Queensland's best athletes in action."
