Local gymnasts Emily King and Bianca Berko-Malvasio had solid performances representing the Yukon at last weekend’s Western Canadian Championships in Edmonton.

King placed eighth overall in the Junior Olympic 8 category and Berko-Malvasio ranked 10th in the field of 30 some competitors from all the western provinces and the Northwest Territories.

Polarettes Gymnastics coach Kimberly Jones suggested in an interview Tuesday for the Yukon to be able to send two Junior Olympic 8 gymnasts to compete against the best JO8s in Western Canada is an achievement in itself.

In Alberta alone, she pointed out, their were 80 JO8s trying out for the seven positions on the provincial team.

“In the Yukon for us to be able to send two JO8s to this competition, yeah, you really are up against the best in Western Canada.”

King’s eighth place overall was pushed along by a fourth-place finish on the floor with a score of 9.2, a fifth on the beam and a sixth on the uneven bars.

Jones said King’s result was the best for the Polarettes at the Westerns since 2004 when Whitehorse hosted the event and Polarette Chelsea Beauchemin won a bronze medal.

King’s finish came despite an error on the beam and a vault that was not her strongest because of an ailing ankle, she pointed out.

“Still, coming eighth when you really didn’t do your best is really a testament to the kind of athlete she is.”

Jones said Berko-Malvasio is happy with her result as it was her first western championships, and she went in with no expectations.

Her greatest strength came on the uneven pars with a fifth place and a score of 8.92.

“It was a really good westerns,” the coach said. “It was a really big feat for the girls.”

Jones said King will be moving up to the status of a Junior Olympic 9 gymnast for the Yukon championships the first week of June.

In order to qualify to represent the Yukon next February at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta., both gymnasts will have to achieve JO10 status, the coach pointed out.