Nadiu edges Cross by 0.034 as Level 7 sets the drama at WAG Trial 2

Level 7 at WAG Trial 2 came down to the last calculation. Arianna Nadiu from Melbourne Acrobatic Gymnastics Academy topped the all-around standings with 47.199, but Edwina Cross of Geelong YMCA was right behind her at 47.165 - a gap of just 0.034. Four events, four apparatus scores, and everything came down to 34 thousandths of a point.

Cross had actually held the edge on beam, where her 12.4 was the highest score on the apparatus in the division. But Nadiu's consistency across all four pieces - 11.7 vault, 12.1 bars, 11.833 beam, 11.566 floor - left no room to catch. Kristen Canoy from MLC rounded out the podium in third with 46.366, her 12.2 floor the strongest on that apparatus in the division.

Geelong YMCA had four athletes across the Level 7 field. Alongside Cross (2nd, 47.165), Augustine Vieau placed 10th equal (44.298) on the strength of 11.966 bars, Lexi Bates was 16th (43.465), and Emily Shepherdson 18th equal (43.099).

Level 8 Division 1

Jets' Sophie Strano took Level 8 Division 1 with 47.332. Her 13.0 on vault was the highest vault score in the division and set the tone from the opening rotation. Strano also placed second on floor (12.133) to add to a complete performance across all four events.

Waverley's Celine Wawolangi finished second overall (47.032) with her best work on beam - a 12.366 that was the third-highest on that apparatus in the division. Tiffany Clarke from MYC was third with 46.465, anchored by the division's highest bars score of 12.533.

Elisha Spiteri of Niddrie posted the highest vault score in the entire competition - 13.166 - but a 9.933 on beam left her fourth with 46.199, a reminder of how much a single apparatus can shift the final standings at this level. Morgan Ferguson (MLC, 7th, 45.599) and Ruby Nguyen (Cheltenham Youth Club, 9th, 44.998) were the other standouts in the top ten, each posting bars scores above 12.6.

Waverley's coaching staff noted that their athletes had shown "resilience and determination, with new ungraded skills competed well under pressure" - a nod to the risk some gymnasts took in putting new difficulty out at a trial.

Level 8 Unders - Border Challenge

Emma Hale from MLC produced the standout individual performance of the entire competition on the uneven bars - a 13.033 that would have topped the bars standings in any division on the day. Her all-around of 47.265 was a comfortable win in the Level 8 Unders field, with vault (12.233) providing her second-best apparatus score.

Geelong YMCA's Ivy Alford was second with 46.832 - her own bars score of 12.733 making this the highest-quality bars event of the competition. MAG Academy's Isla Bellamy rounded out the Border Challenge Unders podium in third with 45.231.

Geelong YMCA described their squad's performances as showing "fantastic resilience, determination and composure" across the weekend, with team selections still to be announced.

Level 8 Division 2

Division 2 ran across two sessions. In Session 3, Niddrie's Piper Cheswick won with 44.265, her 11.7 on floor and 11.233 on beam the standout scores. Kalani Coates of Geelong YMCA placed second (42.799), and Lexi Williams (MLC) third (42.199).

Session 4 saw Audrey Young of BUGS take the honours with 44.232, led by an 11.933 on beam - the strongest beam score across the two Division 2 sessions. Mia Anderson from Cheltenham Youth Club was second (43.765), followed by Chloe Drakopoulos of Pulse (43.032).

Teams

The Level 8 Division 1 team competition went to MLC with a dominant 139.33, ahead of BTYC (135.73) and MYC (135.53). Geelong YMCA placed sixth (124.43) - their team beam aggregate of 34.099 was second only to MLC - but gaps on bars and vault left them off the podium.

Full All-Around Results

Level 7 Division 1 - Top 10

Level 8 Division 1 - Top 10

Level 8 Unders - Full Results

Level 8 Division 1 Teams