Mitchell's Bentley Bates wins regional gymnastics uneven bars title
Apr. 17—BETTENDORF, Iowa. — Mitchell's Bentley Bates, of the MEGA Gymnastics club, won the uneven bars title at the Region 4 Developmental Championships.
Competing in the Level 9 competition, Bates won the event with a score of 9.575, winning the event by a half-tenth of a point over the second-place finisher.
Bates was one of 14 competitors in the bars event and was also one of 25 overall gymnasts in the age group, with gymnasts from seven states competing: Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Bates was also eighth in the all-around scoring with a mark of 35.000. The meet was held at the TBK Sports Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa, from April 12-14.
Bates was also the Class AA parallel bars and balance beam state champion during the high school season in February for Mitchell High School.
Bates' efforts will advance her to the USA Gymnastics Women's Development Program Western Championships as an alternate. That event will be held May 2-5 in Coralville, Iowa. The top seven all-around athletes in each age division from each of the four regions (Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4 for Westerns) compete as regional team members.
A couple of other gymnasts with area connections also competed in the region meet. Addison Duba, of Core Athletics, finished tied for third in the uneven bars (9.225) and was fourth on floor (9.250) in her Level 6 division, with a sixth place all-around finish. Sury Bechen competed in her Level 6 division, with a top finish of 14th on vault (8.550).
