weekend when 13 competitors qualified for the US National Gymnastics Championships.

Coach Walid Mustafa took a squad of 13 to the Southeast Regionals at University of North Carolina -- and when the last somersualt had been completed all 13 had advanced to the USAIGC Nationals next month in Orlando, Florida.

It was only two years ago that Bermuda managed to send just two gymnasts to the US championships. Last year, seven made the grade.

"The girls have been working very long and hard hours, six days a week, to achieve their goals,'' Mustafa said last week.

Laura Murphy, Christine White, Sasha Christensen and Lelia Wadson led the way by qualifying in the Intermediate Optionals division. Maria Darby, Sarah Cox, Rowan Hallett, Alexandra Froncioni, Nichole Shaw, Jameelah Saltus, Latoya Brunson, Jackie Mayor and Kristin Shrubb qualified in the Developmental Optionals.

Nekia Manders, absent over the weekend because of injury, will also compete in Florida.

Murphy finished 11th overall with a score of 34.925 for the four events while White was 16th on 34.500. A score of 33 was needed to qualify. Christensen was 24th, thanks largely to a 9.175 -- and first place -- on the beam. White was tenth on beam; Murphy tenth on bars.

A score of 30 was needed in the Developmental Optionals and all nine Bermuda girls made the mark easily. Cox placed fifth with an all-around score of 34.575, followed by Darby, who was seventh on 34.275.