Tom Dew fundraising to compete in the USA for Gymnastics NZ Valeri Liukin Invitational Team

Hi,

I am Thomas Dew, 18 year old Taradale High School student and competitive Gymnast with the Omni Gymnastic Centre in Onekawa, Napier. I have been competing since 2006 and have represented Hawkes Bay/Poverty Bay (HBPB) in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) at the NZ Nationals each year from 2011.

MAG compete the six apparatus comprised of Floor, Pommel Horse, Vault, High Bar, Parallel Bars and Rings.

My National successes include:

2013 Silver Parallel Bars Level 5

2014 Gold Vault, 7th All Around Level 6

2015 Gold Vault Level 7

2016 Gold Vault Level 8

In 2017 I am competing at level 8 again and have been enjoying some very good results so far this season, including:

• MAG HBPB All Around Champion, First on Vault, Floor and Rings

• MAG Wellington Open All Around Champion, First on Vault and Floor

• MAG Auckland/Manukau Championships, Second All Around, First on Vault and Floor

Our National qualifying competition season has now finished and I am training hard towards the 2017 Nationals being held in Nelson this year from 5th – 8th October.

I have been fortunate enough to have been selected to compete for the first time in a NZ team in the Trans-Tasman challenge at Nationals and I am looking forward to that.

Why am I seeking your support?

My biggest challenge is yet to come with another recent NZ representative selection for the Valeri Liukin Invitational competition being held in December 2017 in Plano, Texas (north of Dallas). Refer below for a link to the official announcement from Gymnastics NZ.

https://www.gymnasticsnz.com/nz-team-announcements/mag-valeri-liukin-team/

My selection is within a team of eighteen MAG gymnasts who will compete Levels 7, 8, 9, 10 and Open. We will be travelling as a NZ representative team but the costs are all self-funded. Although costs have not yet been finalised Gymnastics NZ have indicated it is expected that the trip, competition and NZ uniforms will cost up to $6,500.

The Bank of Mum & Dad has been funding my training, travel and competition expenses all these years and although they are excited that I have been offered this opportunity, it will push past the boundaries of their budget.

I have already begun fundraising and would greatly appreciate any offers of financial support, sponsorship or fundraising opportunities to help me reach this target.

Thanks for taking the time to consider my request and I look forward to hearing from you if you can help me achieve this goal.

Thomas