Gabriella Vivona '25 Qualifies for National Gymnastics Competition

Gabriella “Ella” Vivona '25 has qualified for the National Gymnastics Championships which will be held in Des Moines, Iowa this June. This is the second consecutive year that she has been selected for this honor.

“I am very excited for this because I will be able to compete with in harder routines while being with my team,” said Ella, a rising sophomore at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung. “Being a high-level athlete and competing nationally teaches me good social skills by working with, talking to, and supporting others around me.”

At three years old, Ella pursued her interest in gymnastics, and joined a team at Indigo Gymnastics Center in New Providence when she was eight.

“Both my grandpas were very athletic when they were younger, and they love hearing about and watching my competitions,” she said. “As they have gotten older, I noticed just how happy it makes them to hear about my training and competitions. It was just recently that I promised myself I will be competing for my grandparents and not just as a ‘hobby.’”

A competitor for four years, Ella was recently able to participate in competitions at a higher level around the country. For the past three years, she has been a state and regional champion on trampoline and double mini (trampoline). Aside from the friendships she has formed with fellow gymnasts around the states, she has met World Champions such as BJ Mensah, Ruben Padilla, and Kaden Brown.

“In March, I went to Daytona Beach, Florida with my team to the Winter Classic Competition where athletes from around the country competed. I am happy and proud to say that I placed in the Top 10 out of 40 people on double mini,” shared Ella.

“Being a gymnast requires a lot of training and commitment. I train 14.5 hours every week, each practice being from 5 to 8:30 pm. I leave my house at 4 and do not get home until 9/9:15 pm,” she said. “Being able to balance schoolwork and gymnastics has definitely been hard for me, but because I grew up in the sport, I have become used to it. The block schedule at the Mount has made my life easier because it allows me to spread out my work and get all of it done on time.”

At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Ella is a member of the Art Club and Math League.