The Paris News: Mobile Edition

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Outstanding gymnast deserves community cheers

Staff Report

Published November 06, 2009

Elite gymnast Sarah Gandy competes next week for the Senior World Championships in double mini trampoline competition Nov. 11-14 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A senior at North Lamar High School, Gandy is a fine example of the talented youth from our community who strive to be the best they can be no matter what goal they set in life. For Sarah, her goal is to compete in the Olympics. And, she is well on her way to fulfilling that dream.

The gymnast has been competing nationally and internationally since 2005 with her first big international win coming at the 2008 Cup of Flanders double mini competition in Ghent, Belgium.

She picked up her first national title in synchronized trampoline competition at the 2007 Nationals Championships in Memphis, Tenn. She repeated in 2008 with a first in double minis at the U.S. Elite Challenge in Mobile, Ala. and a first in double minis at the 2008 Visa Championships in Houston.

This year, she won the Visa Championships in Dallas, came in third at the U.S. Elite Challenge in Fort Smith, Ark. and took a second place in the Final Selection Event for World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.

Prior to her leaving Sunday for Michigan, where she practices with the United States team, Paris Mayor Jesse Freelen presented Gandy with a proclamation naming her “an outstanding citizen of Paris.”

“I, Jesse Freelen, do hereby ask all citizens of Paris to join me in honoring this citizen for her outstanding accomplishments and contribution to our community,” the proclamation, in part, states.

We join the mayor in his assessment of Gandy as an outstanding citizen and wish her the best as she competes in this elite competition.