KHS Freshman Finishes Second at Gymnastics Nationals Competition

On Saturday, May 10, Kewaskum High School freshman Si Qi Gundrum represented Wisconsin at the national gymnastics competition in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 15-year-old gymnast finished second all-around with a score of 38.15 out of 40.00. Si Qi competed against top gymnasts from across the country in her age group. Her performance earned her a place on the Region 4 National Team, which includes the top four gymnasts in the region.
“I have been doing gymnastics for 12 years. I did both gymnastics and dance, but chose to continue pursuing gymnastics because of my love for the sport and its challenges,” stated Si Qi.
The athlete shared that beam is her favorite event, as she enjoys the challenge of learning new skills and adding them to her routine. At the national competition, she earned a 9.45 on beam, placing fourth overall in the event. She also scored 9.5 on vault, 9.7 on bars, and 9.5 on floor. In gymnastics, each event is scored on a 10-point scale.
Si Qi’s high scores in each event reflect the dedication and consistent effort she puts into her training ahead of each competition.

“I practice at Salto Gymnastics Center in Waukesha for 3.5 hours a day, five days a week,” said the KHS student.
Despite all of her practice, qualifying for nationals is no easy task, as athletes have to earn their way to the top.
“Nationals is kind of like the top branch of a bracket,” explained Si Qi. “First, you have to make it to state with a 32.0 or better all-around score. Then, at state, you need a 34.0 or better to make it to regionals. To qualify for nationals at regionals, you need to place all-around within the top seven of your region. Then, at nationals, you compete against everyone in the country in your age group who also qualified.”
After 12 years of dedication to the sport, countless hours of practice, and years of competition experience, this year was Si Qi’s first appearance at nationals, marking a new milestone in her career.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be able to compete at nationals. It was such a fun experience, and it felt really great to compete with so many good gymnasts,” said Si Qi.
Si Qi is now one of the four gymnasts on the Region 4 National Team, after her amazing performances at the nationals competition.
“Going forward, I plan to continue training and learning more skills to keep improving. In the future, I hope to continue gymnastics in college,” stated the gymnast.
Si Qi explained that she is grateful for all of the love and support she has received throughout her journey so far.
“I would like to thank my parents for all the support and encouragement they have given me, and for sticking through it with me even when it wasn’t easy. I would also like to thank my sisters for being my biggest cheerleaders and always making me smile. I also want to thank my coaches for having so much faith in me and helping me overcome so many challenges, and my teammates for being there for me whenever I needed it and for the many pep talks that helped me get through the tough days. I couldn’t be more thankful for everyone who has helped me get to where I am today. I owe it to them for believing in me and being there for me,” acknowledged Si Qi. “But most of all, I owe it all to God, who has given me such amazing gifts and put so many amazing people in my life. Without Him, I would not be where I am today.”
With ongoing support, Si Qi plans to continue training and competing, building on the success she achieved this season.