MOULTRIE — Leah May closed out a big weekend for the team Moultrie MGs gymnastics team at the Level 9 and 10 Region 8 Championships in Huntsville, Ala., recently, qualifying for the Junior Olympic National Team.

May will compete in the Level 10 Nationals on May 15-18 in Kissimmee, Fla., where she will be seen by college recruiters from all over the country.

She is the first Moultrie YMCA gymnast to qualify or Level 10 Junior Olympic Nationals.

“I am very excited for Leah,” said Coach Bob Swadel. “All the hard work in the gym is paying off. I can’t wait to see her compete.”

May competed in the last session of the Region meet in the Level 10 Senior B age division.

The meet was delayed by more than an hour due to a blackout earlier in the morning.

May then started out her long awaited competition on vault.

She had her best vault of the season and scored a 9.475 for eighth place.

May scored an 8.925 for ninth on bars after having a slight mistake on her mount. But she did not let that stop her.

She moved on the beam, where she scored an 8.925 with a fall on her back handspring back tuck series.

May closed out the meet with a solid floor routine, receiving a 9.275 for ninth. She ended up with a 36.60 all-around for eighth place.

During the competition, May was under the impression that she had to place in the top seven in her age division to qualify to go to JO Nationals. It was not until the awards ceremony that she found out they were actually taking eight places.

“Competing in a regional competition can be stressful enough for a gymnast,” Coach Allen Harden said. “We did not want to add to the stress or pressure of the meet by telling her that they had changed the requirements.”

“This is a great accomplishment for Leah and for the Moultrie YMCA. Leah is the first MG to qualify for a Level 10 JO National Competition," said Coach Elizabeth Harrington.

Two other MGs traveled to Huntsville for the Region Championships.

Kenyadah Prime and Rachel Dampier competed in the Level 9 competition.

All three girls qualified for the competition by making a 34 all around at their state competition at the end of March.

As Level 9s, Prime and Dampier had an opportunity to qualify for the 2008 Level 9 Eastern Championships held in Dayton, Ohio.

In order to qualify, the girls were required to qualify in the top percentage of girls in their age divisions.

Prime had to place in the top 13 and Dampier in the top 12.

Prime started out the weekend for the team. She began her competition with a 9.125 on beam, tying for 12th.

She had one of her best routines of the year at the meet.

She had an 8.925 on floor, an 8.95 on vault, in a four-way tie for 10th, and an 8.7 on bars.

Prime ended up with a 35.70 all around for 17th place. The score was her best of the year.

“Kenyadah had a great meet and no major mistakes. She was competing in one of the harder age divisions against some really strong girls,” Coach Harrington said.

She was only .225 away from placing in the top 13 in her division.

Dampier began her competition on vault and scored an 8.775.

“Rachel's vault was one of the best vaults in the competition, but an early kick out caused her to land on her bottom instead of her feet,” Harden said.

She got an 8.525 on bars; 9.15 on beam, tying for 10th; and an 8.95 on floor, a four-way tie for 17th).

Dampier also had her best beam routine of the year at the meet.

“She had a solid beam routine and received credit for all of her connections for the first time all year,” Harrington said.

“Rachel had her best meet of the season and has shown steady improvements all year long.”

Dampier was only .30 away from placing in the top 12 in her division.

Harden filled in for Swadel who was unable to attend the meet due to a nagging back injury.