By Michael Roberts | posted on April 10, 2020
TRAMPOLINING star Ruby Beckett has continued her impressive run of form at state level, taking out two silver medals at national qualifiers in Perth last month.
The 10-year-old Denmark product proved she’s one of WA’s brightest young talents on the trampolining scene, scoring a massive 5.3 points over what she needed to qualify for the under 13 nationals.
Ruby would have gone on to represent WA at the Australian Championships in May, but that event has since been cancelled.
It would have been the second time Ruby competed at a national level.
Ruby’s coach, Kay Panton, said it was an incredible achievement considering Ruby’s age and the time she spent practising trampolining.
“She only trains a few hours a week, whereas the kids from Perth probably train about 12 hours,” she said.
Panton said Ruby had a knack for performing well under pressure when it mattered most.
“She tends to pull it out of the bag on the day,” Panton said.
“In warm-ups she will fall on her bum every single time and then come the actual event she’s perfect.”
Panton said Ruby was one of the most talented kids she’d ever coached and could go all the way if she started training more often.
“Ruby’s an up and coming star, she’s got something really special” Panton said.
Ruby’s mum, Melita Kingsford, said Ruby was very disappointed she couldn’t go to nationals anymore but at least had a trampoline at home to practise on during isolation.
“She was really looking forward to it,” Ms Kingsford said.
“She went when she was eight and would have known what to expect this time round.”
Ms Kingsford said Ruby had fallen in love with the sport three years ago during a try out at Flip Zone trampoline and gymnastics club in Albany.
Ms Panton, who owns and runs the club, said Flip Zone would be reopen its doors once social distancing measures were relaxed.
“We are looking forward to welcoming all the kids back,” she said.
“I’m missing it terribly.”
