Woodhull 6th Grader Flips for Gymnastics
It's a good thing that Emma Breitbarth doesn't have a problem with hard work. The Woodhull Intermediate School sixth grader is one of the top young gymnasts in the seven state Northeast region and her training schedule is enough to make most athletes gasp.
Ms. Breitbarth has been a gymnast since she was seven years old. She's a member of the US Junior Olympic team and trains with Tammy Marshall at Gold Medal Gymnastics Center in Huntington.
The Woodhull sixth grader typically trains four hours per day, six days a week during the school year and six hours a day during the summer. "She loves the sport and there is no place she would rather be than at the gym," said Jana Breitbarth, Emma's proud mother.
Competing at Level 9 (in New York the levels range from 4-10), Ms. Breitbarth recently captured second place and a silver medal in the state championships, qualifying for the regional competition.
Region 6 boasts many talented young gymnasts from New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Despite the stiff competition, Ms. Breitbarth performed well, finishing seventh in her age category and earning a spot as the first alternate on the regional team.
As fate would have it, an injury to a teammate moved Ms. Breitbarth into the sixth position on the regional team a mere four days prior to the prestigious Eastern Nationals
At the competition held in Andover, Massachusetts, Ms. Breitbarth fell during her routine on the uneven bars, which was her first event. But, the youngster shook-off the mishap and responded with strong scores on balance beam (9.175), floor exercise (9.0) and vault (9.150) to place 19th in the all-around competition, 11th in beam, 15th in vault and 16th in floor exercise.
"For her first national competition she did great and we are so proud of her," Mrs. Breitbarth said. Her teachers and classmates at Woodhull School are proud of her, too.