Term 1 commences Wed 29th January, 2025

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• Lydia Lassila         • Kiara Munteanu        • Alexandra Dieni

Lydia Lassila

Olympic Gold & Bronze Medallist (Aerial Skiing) and World Record Holder. 

Former gymnast of Niddrie Gymnastics.
 
Lydia came to Niddrie at 12 years of age, as a Level 6 gymnast from Footscray City. For the 4 years following, Lydia was a natural and progressed through the levels quickly, made life long friends and loved training at our club. She was always focused, determined and always fearless. 
 
As a Niddrie gymnast she was crowned Victorian Champion in Level 7, 8, 9 & 10. Australian Champion in Levels 8 & 10 and runner up in Levels 7 & 9. She excelled in the National Stream with her natural ability and determination, under head coach Tracy Hortin.
 
After going as far as she could in the National Stream Lydia joined MLC Gymnastics for their elite program in Year 11 and set her sights on the 2000 Sydney Olympics. However, due to some unfortunate injuries, her dream wasn’t to be. One day a ski instructor she knew contacted her to join an Aerial skiing Development Program for ex-gymnasts. The Olympics was mentioned, she was sold and set her sights once again!
 
Lydia went on to compete at 5 games and claimed Olympic Gold & Bronze, she is a World Record Holder and the first woman to ever execute a quad-twisting triple somersault. She's a business women and entrepreneur with her business BodyICE, is Mum to 2 beautiful boys, a public speaker and a Mentor. 

Lydia is a woman on a mission! 
 
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BodyICE Lydialassila.com.au

Kiara Munteanu

Australian Senior International Gymnast. 

My gymnastics story started very simply. I was a really active child and always jumping on the couch and bouncing off the walls. Mum thought ‘let’s put her somewhere safe', so I started at Niddrie Gymnastics club at four years old.

From day one gym became my second home, my second family. Starting in recreational gym the coaches saw something special in me and with their encouragement they guided me up into squads and ultimately this was the beginning of my gymnastics career.

Throughout my 7 years at Niddrie I had two of the most amazing coaches in Ina Keung and Natalie Roberts who guided and cared for me, but their best quality was they knew me so well, they knew how to get the best out of me even when I didn’t. They mentored me. Then there came a time where they saw that National level gymnastics was not enough for me and as much as a coach never wants to lose a gymnast, they advised my parents it was time to move to international gymnastics.

Moving to Elite gymnastics was daunting and very different at first. The extra training hours, the extra travel early mornings late nights, it took time to adjust. For the whole family there were huge sacrifices but it was all worth it when I was chosen to compete for Australia. And this is what continues to drive me after all these years.

I was the youngest team member selected to represent Australia at the World Championships in Nanning, China, where I contributed to the seventh place team final. 

My competitions are as follows:
  • 2011 Vitaly Sherbo USA
  • 2014 City Jesolo Trophy Italy
  • 2014 Nadia Comaneci Invitational USA
  • 2014 World Championships China
  • 2015 World Championships Scotland
  • 2016 Pacific Rim Championships USA
  • 2016 Aquece Rio Test Event Brazil
  • 2017 Toyota Cup Japan
The advice I would give to any young gymnast starting out, listen to your coaches, hard work and determination will see you reach your goals. 

Failure is not an option just a obstacle to overcome!
  
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Alexandra Dieni

Australian Powerlifter. 

In my gymnastics career of 12 years, I competed in both the state and national stream. I was trained by many coaches, including head coaches Nat and Tracy. I managed to become a Victorian Champion on bars, and represent Victoria. 

Although no longer a gymnast, I have carried over skills learnt in gymnastics into my current sport of powerlifting, where I have gone on to represent Australia.

Gymnastics achievements: 
  • 2009 Victorian Championships, 3rd place overall and 1st place on uneven bars for National level 5.
  • 2011 Victorian Championships, 1st on uneven bars for National level 6
  • 2012 I represented Victoria in Tasmania at the Trans Bass Challenge at National level 7. 

Powerlifting (Under 47kg weight class): 
  • In 2016 I broke the Subjunior Australian records across the squat, bench press, deadlift and total. 
  • I also broke the Subjunior Commonwealth records, and Oceanic records for the aforementioned when I represented Australia in the 2016 Asia-Oceania Powerlifting Championships in New Zealand.
  • In 2017 I represented Australia as a Junior lifter at the World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Belarus. 
  • 2018 Australian J/M Championships & National BP Championships & Equipped Nationals. Melburne Cup. 3rd place.
  
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