The Gymnastics Federation of The Bahamas (GFB) recently sent two coaches and two gymnasts to the 2014 Pan American Olympic Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico. Head Coach of GFB member club Nassau 'Nastics Trevor Ramsey, along with Coach Levette Saunders and Nassau 'Nastics' gymnasts Rashad Cunningham and Simone Hall, all attended the intense eight-day workshop and competition.This is the first time the GFB has been represented at an Olympic festival. With over 120 participants from 22 nations, each country was allowed to enter only one female and one male gymnast with accompanying coach, judge and delegates.The festival consisted of five rigorous eight-hour days with training workshops in the Nissan Sporting Complex, after which, a three-day competition was held.The Bahamian contingent found the experience very beneficial. The gymnasts observed their competitors to be highly skilled, many training at the elite level. Coach Ramsey commented: "These athletes were definitely the best from each country. They performed with ease and experience that demonstrated they were no strangers to international high-level competition."The GFB expects that this experience will aid the growth and development of the higher-level gymnastics training here in The Bahamas. GFB President Barbara Thompson said in a press release that the federation is very proud of its gymnasts who are making an impression on the international scene.The Pan American Olympic Festival is staged to aid the participating countries with their preparations for the Senior Pan American Championships, which is scheduled to be held in Toronto, Canada, from August 25 to September 2. The Bahamas will have three gymnasts competing in this prestigious event: Simone Hall and Toneka Johnson from Nassau 'Nastics and Kianna Dean, a prior member of the Bahamas Gymnastics Parent Booster Club, now training in the United States of America (USA).The Senior Pan American Championship is a qualifier for the Pan Am Games, scheduled for August of 2015.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian