Three Otago rhythmic gymnasts, Mikaela Walsh (16), Sarah Morrison (15) and Regan King (14), face a challenge this weekend when they trial for the New Zealand team at Christchurch.
They have all represented New Zealand before but understand they cannot be complacent and take selection for granted.
A New Zealand team will be named after the trials to compete at the Australian championships at Perth in July.
Walsh, a pupil at St Hilda's Collegiate, started gymnastics at the age of 5 and is coached by Keita McGowan at the Southern Gymnastics Academy. She has shown a steady improvement at New Zealand championships in the past four years. In 2006, she was part of the Otago team that won the bronze medal in level 4.
A year later, she was second overall in level 5 and in 2008 was third overall in level 7 and won a gold medal in the club.
Her consistent progress continued last year when she won the gold medal in level 7 at the New Zealand championships. She is contesting level 8 at the trials.
Morrison, a pupil at Queen's High School, was second overall in level seven at the 2008 national championships and won a gold medal in the hoop.
Last year, she won the Otago and South Island titles.
The talented King, a pupil at Kavanagh College, is competing at level 9 this weekend.
Morrison and King both compete for the Greater Green Island club and are coached by Sonya Hooper.
