Local Gymnast Snags Silver at States

On December 8, local gymnast Jaiden Solek won second place in the Florida State Championships hosted by USA Gymnastics in Miami. Not only did she place second in the competition with a score of 38.6250, but she also earned a 9.9 on bars and a 9.85 on the floor.

These individual performances placed her in the top 100 in both categories for level two gymnasts across the entirety of the United States.
Level two is one of the introductory levels of the sport, with more intermediate skills mixed in. GymnasticsHQ.com noted that USA Gymnastics refers to levels one through three as preparatory before reaching levels four and above.

In addition to her most recent outing, her scores have been impressive all year. Jaiden’s showings have been so dominant that she has nabbed first place in every single meet throughout the entire season. This amazing feat has seen her hold the top spot and remain undefeated among those at her level until nearly doing so again earlier this month.

“We are just really proud of her because she works really hard on the gymnast floor and off of it in school,” said her mother, Jessica Solek. “She is very dedicated, she’s very kind […] she’s such a sweet kid, she’s very humble. On and off the gymnasts floor, you would never know that Jaiden is one of the best gymnasts. She does not glorify herself. She does not gloat.”

The young gymnast also plans to continue climbing the ranks in the hope of reaching the pinnacle of what all athletes strive for – the Olympics. Her mother will be right alongside her, doing whatever she can to support her daughter’s dreams.

The eight-year-old Solek has been competing for the past two years and currently attends Top Contenders Gymnastics Academy in Spring Hill to hone her skills. She is extremely dedicated to improving as she trains over 15 hours a week.

Not only does she train at the dojo, but she also competes with the organization’s team at events such as the state championships.
“Jaiden Solek is the kind of gymnast any coach would be privileged to work with,” Top Contenders Coach Mandy said. “She is a very hard worker, very determined and focused. Her great work ethic always shines through, as evident in her successes […] We are so proud of her and look forward to her future!”

Jaiden dedicates much of her time to the sport at the gym and at home, but that is not all. While she is focused on perfecting her craft, she also prioritizes her relationship with God, enjoys art and dancing, and maintains a stellar GPA.

“I give the glory and honor to the Lord for my accomplishments this season,” Jaiden said. “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”

Academically, she attends Life Preparatory School in Hernando County and her mother feels that the school has been invaluable in allowing Jaiden the “flexibility to concentrate” on gymnastics in addition to her studies. She was even recognized in her school newspaper with the owner of the school and Pastor Steve Billsborough.

Having essentially achieved straight A’s throughout her brief school career up to this point, she was even able to skip a grade and is already in the fourth grade at eight years old. Her teachers, coaches, and family were all effusive in their praise of Jaiden’s drive.

“She kind of keeps to herself, but this is something that I’ve noticed has brought out a passion in her that I would say has really brought out where she stands academically,” her fourth-grade teacher, Haileigh Singer, noted. “She’s always a straight-A student, always working hard, but extremely humble.”

Jaiden’s grandmother, Joanne Melia, called her a “wonderful, all-around good-hearted girl […] She’s just very genuine, very caring, very loving.” Melia also noted Jaiden’s passion for gymnastics, which is something that has made itself evident to those around her, including her coaches.

“Jaiden is an amazing little athlete,” said the owner of Top Contenders and Coach Beth. “She has the potential to go all the way. If she has the dream and the desire, she has the potential to go all the way. She is one of the best athletes that I have had the opportunity of training.”