Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery

The 2023 CIAC Winter Open Gymnastics Championship meet took place on Saturday at New Milford high school and was yet another achievement for Staples Gymnastics which has just finished it's most successful season ever.

Only 40 of Connecticut's best gymnasts qualified in their skill for this prestigious event from the state's top 24 school gymnastics programs, eight of which are in Staples’ division.

The stellar performance on Saturday came on the heels of the girl's 3rd place finish in the FCIAC Championships last month where standout Mia Guster finished first in vault with a 9.6 score, preventing Fairfield Ward's Emma Johnson from sweeping that championship. Guster also finished 2nd on floor exercise and Sarah Arango finished fifth on uneven bars. Both Guster and Arango were both selected first team All FCIAC this season. Staples also scored big in the CIAC state tournament, finishing second.

Leading the way for Staples at the CIAC Championships on Saturday repeating her FCIAC victory was Mia Guster who's first place finish in vault with a 9.5 score became the first Staples gymnast to win vault at the Winter Championships. Mia also grabbed 2nd place in floor exercise in the large school division posting a 9.25 score.

Also doing well was Sofia Alarcon-Frias who placed fifth on balance beam and sixth in the all round. Sarah Arango placed fourth on bars. Mia Cochran, Hannah Bitsky, Victoria Fidalgo were second team. Phoebe Miller was honorable mention.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery