Foley Sports Tourism Hosts Major Gymnastics Event

FOLEY, Ala. — The USA Gymnastics Region 8 Xcel Championship will be held in Alabama for the first time this weekend at the Foley Event Center, Gulf Coast Media reports. An estimated 1,500 gymnasts and their families from across Region 8, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, are expected at the championship, which is being hosted by Foley Sports Tourism (FST). This is the largest gymnastics event FST has hosted. Four local gymnasts qualified to compete at the regional championships after their performance at the Alabama Xcel State Championships in Foley in March. Eastern Shore Gymnastics Academy in Daphne had three of its 19 gymnasts qualify for regionals. Rosie Roberds, age 8 of Fairhope, and Rylee Cumpston, age 10 of Spanish Fort, both qualified for the Xcel Platinum Regionals. Luci LeCroy, age 11 of Fairhope, qualified for the Xcel Gold Regionals. Flip City Academy in Foley had one gymnast, Saoirse McDaniel, age 14 of Daphne, qualify for Xcel Gold Regionals. Competition begins today and ends on May 8 at 5 p.m. Spectators are welcome.