Young gymnast sees bright future




SKILLED—Claire Daly of Westlake Village presents her routine at the Beroe Cup in Bulgaria in March.

SKILLED—Claire Daly of Westlake Village presents her routine at the Beroe Cup in Bulgaria in March.

Claire Daly, 14, recently returned from performing in the 2012 United States Rhythmic Gymnastics National Championships in San Jose June 26 and 27.

While she didn’t make the U. S. National Team, Claire’s confidence is high after several other top performances this year in the U.S. and abroad.

Claire is a Westlake Village resident and will attend Oaks Christian School in the fall as a freshman. She trains in rhythmic gymnastics at Platinum Gymnastics in Simi Valley with her coach Marina Kukhta. She travels extensively, competing across the country and internationally.

In March, Claire placed first overall in her age group at the Beroe Cup in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Claire also is the 2012 Level 9 Junior Southern California State Champion and was named 2012 Athlete of the Year.

Last month Claire earned a spot at the 2012 National Championships by placing fourth allaround as a level 9 junior at the National Qualifier in Orlando, Fla., earning her status as a level 10 gymnast.

On June 27 at the 2012 Rhythmic National Championships, Claire placed 13th in the Junior All-Around. Only the top eight are named to the U.S. National Team.

Claire will compete as a Level 10 gymnast next season and will try to earn a spot on the 2013 Junior National Team.

She’s optimistic about the future.

“I just have to remember to compete with confidence and trust that all the practice and hard work will pay off,” Claire said.

Since 2009 she has been a member of the United States Youth Elite Squad, a group of young gymnasts selected from around the country to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Centers several times a year.


Claire Daly

Claire Daly

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