For young gymnasts, there are moments in the sport that stay with you forever, and for Mia Sagkol and Myra Mathur, competing at the 9th Cancun Acro Cup Invitational was one of them.
Representing Sydney Hills Gymnastics in the Level 9 Women’s Pair competition in Cancun, Mexico, Mia and Myra stepped up to compete two levels above what they currently compete in Australia. Performing their Balance and Dynamic routines alongside athletes from several countries, the experience quickly became about so much more than competition scores.
There was excitement walking into an international arena, nerves before stepping onto the competition floor, new friendships with gymnasts from other countries, and unforgettable moments that made the experience feel bigger than just gymnastics.
“Before walking onto the floor, me and Mia were both really nervous, so we tried to support each other by reminding ourselves to trust our training and comforting each other,” said Myra.
Mia admitted her mind was racing before competing.
“I was thinking about the routine and how hard we worked to get here and about all of the corrections I needed to fix so I didn’t make any mistakes or let Myra down,” she said.
That care for each other is exactly what makes the partnership so special.
“Whenever something doesn’t work out, or we make a mistake, we don’t get mad at each other, and we always support each other and work the problem out together,” Mia said. “We care about each other.”
Coach Madie said watching the girls grow together throughout the season has been incredibly rewarding.
“They are truly one of the hardest-working groups, and their bond is what makes doing what I do so special,” she said.
“The way they constantly motivate and support each other is incredible. No matter what setbacks they face, they always approach situations with such a positive mindset.”
The experience in Cancun gave the girls the opportunity to meet athletes from around the world, including Canadian gymnasts who quickly became among their biggest supporters during the competition.
“Other countries were really supportive of us and cheered us on,” Mia said. “They also gave us pins from their countries. We felt more proud because we were representing Australia and SHG.”
Coach Madie said those friendships and support helped bring out a new level of confidence in the girls’ performances.
“The confidence they showed on the floor was the strongest I’ve ever seen from them,” she said. “It genuinely looked like they were performing for everyone watching.”
Receiving compliments from the head judge about how much their confidence stood out made the moment even more special for the girls and reinforced just how much they had grown throughout the competition.
One of the most emotional moments for both girls came at the end of their Balance routine.
“At the end of our balance routine, there’s a part where we fall and hug each other on the floor, and we were both hugging really tight, and I could tell we were both proud of each other and ourselves,” Mia said.
For Myra, finishing the balance routine brought a feeling of relief and pride.
“My favourite performance moment was finishing our balance routine and walking off knowing we had done our best,” she said. “It felt really rewarding seeing all our training come together in that moment.”
Outside of competition, there were memories the girls say they will never forget, including carrying the Australian sign during the ceremonies and hearing international athletes cheering for them during training.
Describing one of her favourite memories from the trip, Mia said standing on the first-place podium with Myra was something she would never forget.
For Sydney Hills Gymnastics, the Cancun Acro Cup was about far more than results. It was about watching two young gymnasts back themselves on the international stage, trust each other under pressure, and proudly represent their club and country. Mia and Myra returned home not only with memories but also with a new level of confidence that will stay with them long after the competition.
