2017 International Gymnast Magazine Gymnast of the Year Top 10 Nominees

Congratulations to these girls for being awarded Top 10 of the International Gymnast Magazine Gymnast of the Year!

 

Aleah Finnegan

My Biography

The sister of London 2012 alternate Sarah Finnegan and committed to LSU just like her elder sibling, Aleah Finnegan out of GAGE in Missouri is a beautiful gymnast, with her elegant lines on balance beam her signature. Finnegan posted her season-high all-around score at her final meet of the 2017 season, winning first all-around at JO Nationals with an impressive 38.300 overall and a second place finish on the vault and balance beam as well. Finnegan is 14 years old and from St. Louis, Missouri.

 

Amoree Lockhart (2020)

- Beatrice Mihaila, April Pyle and Chris Brashier

My Biography

Amoree fell in love with gymnastics at an early age. While her mom worked in the front office of a local gymnastics club, Amoree would be in the gym flipping on and off the equipment, and learned a back handspring when she was just three years old. By age 4, she was on the competitive team. Since then Amoree continued to reach or surpass her gymnastics goals, winning the All Around at JO Nationals in 2016 and most recently verbally committing to the University of Oklahoma on a gymnastics scholarship.

 

Ashlee Sullivan (2025 )
Level Junior Elite 

WOGA - Nataliya Marakova, Josh Jefferis

My Biography

Ashlee started gymnastics in a mom and tot class when she was 18 months old. Full of energy and never afraid to try something new, she quickly advanced and started competing Level 3 at age 6. Ashlee also enjoyed dance and took 5 years of ballet. However, once she started HOPES training, a decision had to be made and chose to continue in gymnastics.

In 2019, Ashlee had just turned 12 and was starting her first year of Level 10 and plans to qualify HOPES 12/13. She was thrilled to be attending developmental camps and meeting amazing girls. Ashlee's first Level 10 meet was Texas Prime where she won 1st AA, 1st Vault, 2nd Bars and 3rd on Beam, but most important she qualified for Legendz! A fun exhibition meet. Level 10's second meet for her did not go as well. After the second rotation, Ashlee was injured on beam and unable to complete the competition. The injury turned out to be a severe bone bruise that sidelined her for 4 weeks.

 

Bailey Ferrer aka. Lil' Ninja (2019)
Level 10 

Gymnastics USA - Ray Gnat & Mikara Steinburg

My Biography

Now at the age of sixteen, she is one of the youngest gymnasts to garner such an extensive list of accomplishments. Bailey won the Florida Level 10 Optional State Meet at 10 years old. In the same year she qualified as a Junior Elite and spent the next five years of her career attending the Olympic Training Center in Texas during camp weeks. In 2014, Bailey qualified for the American Classics, the Secret Classics and then went on to give a great showing at that year's P&G Championships. Following P&G's Bailey verballed to LSU, accepting a full gymnastics scholarship to begin in 2019. In early 2016 she received a bronze medal on Bars from Marta Karolyi at the elite qualifier at the Olympic Training Center. Following some career changes, Bailey decided to drop back to Level 10 in order to concentrate on her LSU career. Her 2017 season started out with her becoming International Level 10 All-Around Champion at the Gymnix International in Montreal. At the Level 10 Florida State Meet she took the gold in both Floor and Vault, tying for first on Beam. Her season ended with Level 10 National Championships where Bailey took third All-Around in her age division nationwide. Closing out the 2017 season she ranks number 6th All-Around in the nation's top 100 and 4th on Floor.

"Bailey Ferrer is a force to be reckoned with. I first met Bay when she moved to Florida. She was 10 years old and competing at Level 10 while training Elite. I have watched her grow and develop as a gymnast and have mentored her through her career from a level 10 AA State Champion, through her Elite career, and most recently her Level 10 National Team member. She gets the nickname "Lil Ninja" because there is no skill she is unable to throw. Not only is she a great gymnast but she is also a leader and mentor within the gym. I am so honored to be coaching her for the last 2 years of her JO career and thrilled to be handing her off to LSU where she will become a LSU Tiger! " Coach Mikara Steinberg -Gymnastics USA

 

Chloe Widner (2019)

- Kim Zmeskal-Burdette and Chris Burdette

My Biography

2017 was Chloe's 3rd season as a level 10 gymnast. She trains at Texas Dreams Gymnastics under coaches Kim Zmeskal-Burdette and Chris Burdette. In 2017, Chloe was the Texas State AA champion, Region 3 AA champion, JO National floor champion, and was named to the JO National team for the 2nd year in a row. Chloe was also honored with the 2017 Texas USAG Optional Athlete of the Year award at the state banquet in July. Chloe is a junior in high school and is verbally committed to the University of Arizona. She lives in Frisco, Texas with her parents, brother and sister. In her free time, she volunteers at her church and for Frisco Love Pacs, an organization providing food for Frisco ISD students who need meal assistance when school is not in session. She also enjoys hand lettering and calligraphy, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

 

Kaliya 'Liya' Lincoln (2024)
Level 10 

Airborne Gymnastics, Ca - Cleo Washington

My Biography

Kaliya Lincoln, also known as 'Liya', is a Junior Elite gymnast @ Airborne Gymnastics in Santa Clara, California.

 

Kylee Burton (2022)
Level 10 

Metroplex Gymnastics - Kambri Hoffman, Justin Lea

My Biography

Hi, I'm Kylee Burton from Metroplex Gymnastics in Allen, TX. I am currently a level 10 and I am in 8th grade attending PCAplus online. I love spending time with my family, friends, and dog! I train 31 hours a week with my teammates/best friends! Last season as a level 9, I finished first in the all around at the Texas State Championships with a 38.775. I also placed first on beam with a 9.725. I went to compete regionals, winning floor with a 9.575. After qualifying to J.O. Western Nationals, I competed in the JR 5 category, placing 2nd on vault with a 9.6 and 5th on bars with a 9.55. I finished my season winning floor with a 9.65, beam with a 9.625, and AA with a 38.425! My dream is to attend a major university on a full-ride gymnastics scholarship and to have the opportunity to compete for a National Championship! It would be a great honor and motivation to win the award of Gymnast of the Year!

 

Madison Raesly-Patton aka MiRP (2022)
Level 10/elite 

Texas Dreams - Marcus Harlin, Alicia Goodwin, Kim Zmeskal-Burdette

My Biography

Madison Raesly-Patton was born on July 17, 2004 to Amanda and Shea Patton. Madison began gymnastics at the age of 9 when she took an introductory class at WOGA Frisco. On the second day of practice, Madison was moved up to the intermediate level, and by the third day she was moved up to the advanced level. By January 2014 at age 9, Madison competed one meet of level 3 in the TAAF program with Iarov Elite Gymnastics. After one meet of level 3, Madison moved up to level 4. In the Fall 2014 season, Madison competed level 5 and in the Spring of 2015, she competed one level 6 meet. In 2016, Madison competed one meet of level 7 at the Texas Prime Meet where she placed second on vault and third on floor. After the Texas Prime Meet, Madison moved up to level 8 and at her first level 8 meet, the Metroplex Challenge, Madison won the beam title with a 9.625 and placed third all around. At the 2016 Texas Level 8 State Championships, Madison finished 10th all around and qualified to regionals. Madison had her best meet of the season at the Region 3 Championships scoring a 9.700 on beam to take the beam title and taking home the bronze medal in the all around with a 38.050. Following the 2016 level 8 season, Madison began training with Texas Dreams. Madison began instantly improving, and at her first meet as a level 9, Madison won the beam title with a 9.725 and won the all around with a 37.775. Madison continued to have a solid season and at the Texas State Championships, Madison won the bars, beam, floor, and all around titles. Following her success, Madison competed at the Region 3 Championships and made the Region 3 Junior 3 Western National Championships Team. Madison had the meet of her life at Westerns; she won all four events and took home the all around gold with a 38.600. Madison became the first gymnast in history to win all five gold medals at Westerns and had the highest all around score out of all gymnasts at both Easterns and Westerns. Currently, Madison trains 32 hours per week at Texas Dreams Gymnastics under coaches Alicia Goodwin, Marcus Harlin, Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, and Chris Burdette. Madison is preparing for the 2018 season where she hopes to qualify elite. In the future, Madison hopes to earn a spot on the US National Team.

 

Myli Lew (2025)
Level 9 

San Mateo Gymnastics - Armen Astoian and Oksana Bystrova

My Biography

At the age of 4.5 year's old, Myli Lew was put into the Hot Shot's group and was doing 3 hours of gymnastics a week. She was slowly learning TOPs skills. At the age of 6, Myli began competing level 3 where she made the NorCal South State Team 2nd place all around. Myli made TOP's Diamond Team in 2014 and was also on the NorCal South State Champion for Level 4 placing 1st all around. After competing level 4, Myli competed one level 5 meet off season. She was the only level 5 off season gymnast to compete from her gym and won 1st place all around. Myli also made TOPs National A Team in 2015 and attended her first Developmental Invite camp in Feb '16. Myli was the NorCal South State Champion for level 7 in 2016 and represented level 7 NorCal South State Team at Regionals where she was 1st place all around. Myli has attended Developmental Camp twice so far in the later part of 2016. Myli can't wait to learn more skills. She has met a lot of great gymnasts from other gyms on my journey and loves being able to connect with them on social media since they live far away.

 

Rachael Lukacs

My Biography

Rachael Lukacs is a level 10 gymnast from North Stars Gymnastics in New Jersey.