The Katherine gymnastics team had no expectations of a win as they walked into the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games venue last weekend for their first national competition.
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Surrounded by Olympians at the top of their game, nerves were high as they prepared to compete.
But that didn't stop them walking out, elated, with a silver for their floor routine.
"I said before we went to be inspired, but don't be intimidated... it was about showing the rest of Australia what we can do," team coach Megan Pickering said.
The Active Feet gymnasts, a group of 10 young people ranging in ages from 10 to 15, had been practicing their routine since April - and they nailed it when it counted most.
"We really didn't know what to expect or what we were going to be up against until we got there," Mrs Pickering said.
"We had won a silver and a gold at Territory competitions over the past two years, but you really don't know where the rest of Australia is at until you're competing against them."
Almost 5000 athletes from clubs across Australia travelled for the event, but none quite as far as the Katherine crew.
There were no entry requirements for the novice division competition, but to earn a medal the team had to get a particular score.
"At the national level a silver is more than we could have hoped for," Mrs Pickering said.
"It's important to go away and feel like they deserved to be there, they performed well and prepared well, they spent months in the lead up fundraising to get there.
"The win lifted them."
Mrs Pickering said it is all too common for young people to compete and win in the Territory, but then fall from grace at a national level, ruining confidence and stagnating progress.
"For these kids the fact that they were in a competition where they felt really included, and then performed the best I had seen them perform was amazing.
"They now have so many great ideas about what they want to do at the next level."
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