After enduring a morning session of tough competition, the gymnasts at the 2007 Winter Cup at Lawrence Gymnastics Academy paused for a bit of a breather.

For most of those looking on, it was hardly a breather.

The central floor of the Academy came alive with flailing limbs and “walking” hand stands as each competitor took part in exercises in hopes that the last one standing would land a candy bar held by the event’s announcer.

For nine-year-old Ashlan Alexander of the Lawrence Gymnastics Academy, the chase for the candy bar wasn’t all that sweet.

“It was kind of hard,” Alexander said. “It was kind of like conditioning.”

That “conditioning”, however, got Alexander, along with many other members of the nearly 90-strong gymnastics contingent of the morning session, to the medal stands. Those medal ceremonies were part of a full event schedule as Lawrence Gymnastics Academy welcomed a full house of teams and spectators from around the area for the 2007 edition of the cup.

The participants competed in events such as the balance beam and uneven bars, within several age groups. Both boys and girls took part in the weekend competition, with two teams from Lawrence participating, Alexander’s Lawrence Gymnastics Academy and the Spirit of Kansas team.

The event as a whole spanned the entire weekend and served not only as a place of high competition, but as a place where the community could come and enjoy the sport of gymnastics.

“We have teams here from Kansas and Missouri,” Lawrence Gymnastics Academy owner David Sakumura said. “And that makes it a great event, but it’s really great because it gives the parents and the community a chance to come out and see the local kids compete.”

Another benefit of the competition was the exposure of the sport to those in the community.

“I think the best service we provide to the community is the opportunity for the kids to explore movement,” Sakumura said. “The sport encourages kids to have fun with movement and it’s a great way for kids to get in shape and have fun.”

Those in attendance, nearly 1500 over the weekend, were treated to outstanding efforts from girls teams from Lawrence, McPherson and Wichita, as well as boys teams from Olathe and Great Bend.

And as the turnout for the event made for some enthusiastic support in the stands, it also gave the competitors something to think about.

“It’s kind of scary with a lot of people,” Alexander said.

Abby McLean, 13, of the Spirit of Kansas gymnastics team, said there were definitely times she was nervous while competing in front of such a big crowd, but she found a way to get around it.

“I pretend the gym is empty,” McLean said. “That usually helps out a lot when I’m performing.”

And what also helped out the competitors on the mats was the medals they received at the end of the competition.

Alexander went to the medal stand a number of times, along with teammates Kiara Clark and Cambry Lynch, and the feeling she got was worth all the work.

“It makes me feel good,” Alexander said. “It makes me feel like I’ve done really well.”

McLean echoed those sentiments as her Spirit of Kansas teammate, Nadia Laytimi sprinted off to accept a sixth-place medal.

“It always makes you feel pretty good,” McLean said. “Like you went out there and gave your best, it’s a lot of fun.”

And fun was ultimately what the event was all about, for the gymnasts and the spectators.

“The turnout was outstanding and the competition was great,” Sakumura said. “And the kids had a lot of fun.”