A Morrisville-based gymnastics team placed fifth in the world and first in the U.S. on Thursday at a gymnastics competition held in Bulgaria.
Grace Gymnastics Academy represented the U.S. among 29 countries competing at the International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics World Championship. The competition is for 12- to 14-year-olds.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Grace Gymnastics Academy was one of two U.S. teams to compete in Thursday’s finals in Samokov, Bulgaria.
The academy works with more than 60 young girls. Of those, there are six on the team that competed in Bulgaria--Leah Coan, Maya Kadol, Samira Morris, Nidhi Kunshetty, Sophia Dod and Lilliana Cemniuk.
Aesthetic group gymnastics, also known as AGG, is a little different from artistic and rhythmic styles you see in the Summer Olympics.
"I like to describe it as a mix of rhythmic gymnastics and ballet and some components of artistic gymnastics," Kadol said.
Kadol joined Grace Gymnastics when she was four-years-old--the same year that coach Olga Bogdan opened the studio after immigrating from Russia.
"I came to the U.S. in September 2016. I was limited (in my) English and I had no understanding of American business and after that, in December I had the courage to open Grace Academy," Bogdan said.
Samira Morris joined around the same time. She was five-years-old at the time.
"I honestly can't imagine life without this sport. I think it's helped me both mentally and physically and it has helped me meet so many wonderful people," Morris said.
Some of their performances from those early years caught the eye of other young girls who would go on to become their team mates.
"I was at a Cary Festival and I saw these girls competing and I said 'mommy, I would really love to do this," Leah Coan said.
Three years ago, Bogdan hired Natalyya Brolavetz as a choreographer. Brolavetz worked in the sport for 15 years in Ukraine before fleeing the war in her country.
"I came (to the) U.S. in 2022. Olga invited me to come here and work in the Grace Gymnastics Academy to improve the AGG program," Brolavetz said.
Some of the girls--like Kadol, Morris and Dod--have Eastern European heritage which makes it easier to follow Bogdan and Brolavetz instructions in Russian and Ukrainian.
"I'm Ukrainian so I can pretty much understand what (Bogdan) says. I just answer back in English," Cemniuk said.
Coan and Kunshetty said they learned the language quickly.
"I met one of my best friends, Maya and she became my little Google Translate," Coan said.
"I actually know a little bit of Russian because some times my teammates prank me but it always ends in laughter," Kunshetty.
Over the years, the team has travelled to competitions around the U.S. and the world. Their fifth place award in Bulgaria was among their best showings.
"It was my first world championships and I think I have a lucky team and we're lucky to be here," Dod said. "AGG is a beautiful sport and I think people should try out."
The team is preparing for their 2026 season which will also be busy with travel. They'll compete in France in the spring and head back to the International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics World Championship in the fall--this time in Japan.