Reston's Caitlyn Crawford has only been power tumbling for less than two years. By all accounts, she is a natural, though. Caitlyn, a rising fourth grader at is heading this weekend to the Junior Olympic National Tumbling Championships in San Antonio, TX.
Crawford, 9, qualified by performances at the Virginia championships in Lynchburg in April and the Regional Championships in Martinsburg, WV, in May.
Crawford trains at in Burke. The gym is sending about 15 tumblers to the national meet.
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Power tumbling differs from gymnastics in that it is straight tumbling passes of handsprings and flips. Traditional gymnastics features tumbling as part of floor exercise, which also incorporates dance moves, as well as competition on apparatus such as the uneven parallel bars and the balance beam.
At nationals, Crawford will do two Level 8 tumbking passes. The first, a power hurdle, double whip, four backhandspring pike pass and the second a power hurdle, whip, five backhandsprings layout pass will be scored relative to the 40 other girls competing.
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Juding is based form, power, height and speed. The top eight scores receive medals.
Crawford trains about 18 hours a week in the summer and also is a competitive cheerleader.
Capital assistant power tumbling coach Brandon Sloan says the two are very complementary to one another.
"Caitlyn came in here with some pretty good talent," said Sloan. "She has worked hard and is very dedicated."
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