TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS – James earns silver for Australia

Photograph: James Mann Segal soars at the 2023 NZ Gymnastics Championships 

Watching a trampoline gymnast flow into their rhythm in a matter of seconds, soaring at least three times their height in a series of 10 scoring jumps, and manoeuvring into gravity-defying positions is always a sight to behold.

Spectators inside Mercury Baypark Arena in Tauranga, New Zealand, were treated to an impressive display of trampolining at its best from July 5-8 at the 2023 New Zealand Gymnastics Championships. There, Jewish Melburnian James Mann Segal was one of only four Aussies selected to compete in the junior international U17 boys’ individual trampoline competition, based on prior form.

In only his second appearance for Australia – having competed in last year’s junior worlds in synchronised trampolining – the 2023 Australian nationals bronze medal winner for Victoria earned scores of 39.015 and 49.205 in the qualifying round in Tauranga.

Although he was penalised for making some minor errors in his first routine, he did enough to place fourth out of 10, and advance. Able to lift in the final, he nailed a score of 49.300 to reach a total of 137.520 points, to win silver.

In one of his jumps, he executed two flips and four twists, and showcased 30 different skills throughout the routine. New Zealanders Flynn Gunther (149.365) and Eras Viljoen (132.245) came first and third.

Mann Segal also competed in the synchronised discipline with teammate Emerson Leffler, coming fourth. He told The AJN he’d hoped to score better in the qualifying round but he was “very happy with a silver medal in New Zealand”, and said, “It’s always a great feeling to get the opportunity to represent Australia.”

Credit AJN