A distinct clang rings out as Diana Dela Pena drops her latest hardware haul around her neck.
It’s a sweet sound — one that elicits an encouraging response.
“I love that sound,” says a slightly older club-mate, offering a big smile.
That congratulatory-type comment is something the young gymnast is becoming quite familiar with since reigning supreme at the provincial championships last weekend in Windsor.
On the strength of a first-place finish in her bread-and-butter bars event, the nine-year-old eclipsed Ottawa’s Chelsey Louis-Jean by less than two-tenths of a point (37.742) for overall Level 6 gold — giving the Milton Springers their first all-around Ontario champ in five years.
“I was so happy… and surprised,” said Diana, who soon after joining the club at age five was identified as having competitive team potential. “It felt really good to win.”
Working with the newly-crowned provincial champ for the past two years now, coach Maryna Vorobyova stressed that while Diana’s talent has always been apparent, her work ethic is perhaps her strongest attribute.
“She has these goals in her head and will keep working on them until she gets it right,” said Vorobyova, who instructs Diana alongside Krista Johnsen and Candice Feinrip. “She wants to get everything perfect. She’s very dedicated.”
While a perennial powerhouse on bars, her recent improvements on beam also factored heavily into making her provincial debut a victorious one.
Much more sure of her footing during jumps now after a somewhat fearful stretch on the beam, Diana secured the bronze in that discipline in Windsor.
“Yeah I’m definitely more confident (on beam) now,” she said. “It took a lot of practice.”
A fourth-place in her floor routine and seventh on vault rounded out her provincial campaign, which followed all-around top-three finishes at all three qualifying meets — including a golden performance at her home club in early March.
Also coming away from provincials with some hardware was fellow nine-year-old Dani Silvestre, who increased her overall score by more than two full points to place fifth in the Level 5 ranks.
That was due largely to a golden floor routine and a silver on bars.
Buoyed by an all-around victory enjoyed during her recent international debut at the Cancun Cup (Mexico), Level 8 competitor Keiara Jones-Tyrell boosted her all-around results to move up the provincial rankings, while the Springers’ seven other representatives enjoyed personal-best efforts in at least one event.
The club will close out the season this weekend with the Springer Challenge.
