Second overall and tops among the Team Ontario girls in her bracket (Level 7 - ages 11-12), Gracie Currie will most certainly look back on her first experience at the Eastern Canadian Gymnastics Championships with fond memories.

In a field of 23 competitors, Currie earned gold in the vault with a score of 9.366, her overall aggregate mark of 38.215 falling behind only Lea Rose Champagne (Team Québec) at 38.265.

"I was extremely proud of her vault, one of the best vaults she has done all season," noted Sudbury Laurels coach Julie McEwen, accompanying the 12 year-old grade 6 student at Walden Public School to Fredericton.

"I had good height on my vault and blocked well with my shoulders," said Currie, who admitted to feeling very much at ease as part of the six-athlete Team Ontario squad that won gold.

"I knew that I had already done three competitions before that and it was the same skills, so I just had to do it again," said Currie. "I am nervous for some competitions - and then I am not nervous for some of the bigger ones."

Tied for third place in both the beam (9.583) and the floor (9.716), Currie kept herself very much in the running for a podium placement in the overall aggregate, topping teammate Brooklyn Ross in the race for silver.

"She was steady on every event," said McEwen. "She is normally pretty consistent; not an athlete who worries me."

Currie will make the jump to Level 8 next year, fine-tuning the skills needed to compete at both that rung and the next in the years to come.