Bailey, Wolting shine in Phoenix

Costa Mesa’s Donathan Bailey has qualified for the Junior Olympic

nationals after his sparkling performance in the regional gymnastics

championships April 1-4 in Phoenix, Ariz., where Kevin Wolting of

Costa Mesa also stood out.

Bailey earned third place in the vault, fourth in floor exercise,

sixth on the pommel horse, seventh on the parallel bars and sixth in

the all-around with a 51.425 score to qualify for the Region 1

all-star team that will compete at the nationals May 5-9 in San

Diego.

Bailey, 13, competes as a class three gymnast. Qualifying for the

nationals requires competition in class three, two or one, with one

being the elite level. Bailey, who was in his first year of

eligibility to qualify for the nationals, went to the regional

championships as an alternate for the Southern California all-star

team. He accomplished his goal: to qualify for the nationals and

qualify for the region’s all-star team, which takes the top six

performers.

Wolting, 9, is in the class five gymnastics competition. He was on

the Southern California all-stars at the regional championships. He

took second place in the vault, third on rings and fourth in the

all-around with a 54.625. His scores helped the Southern California

team win the regional championships.

Bailey, who attends Ensign Intermediate, and Wolting, a Kasier

Elementary student, both train at New Hope Academy of Gymnastics in

Fountain Valley.