VANCOUVER — Brothers Conor DeWolf, 16, and Liam DeWolf, 14, both won first place in the all-around competition at the Level 9 Junior Nationals Division at the Washington State Men’s Gymnastics Championship held earlier this month at the Clark County Events Center in Vancouver.
While they were each first all-around in their age divisions, Liam was first of all the Level 9 gymnasts, while Conor was right behind him at second of all Level 9.
The brothers placed fifth and sixth of all the gymnasts regardless of level or age. This means they beat out all but a few of the older Level 10 elites and only under most of the top four by a few tenths of a point, using the same scoring rules.
“It’s a pretty big deal because it puts them on track to join the Region Two elite team to compete at next year’s winter cup. That’s the goal at the moment,” said their dad and coach Pat DeWolf.
The boys were joined at the meet by their Klahhane Xcel teammates Carly Mae Riggs, Elyse Brown, Harper Killiker and Paytynn Lindley and their families.
Liam was first in the floor exercise with a score of 12.3, and on rings with a score of 12.9, first on the vault with a score of 12.4, second on parallel bars, third on the high bar and third on pommel horse. He was state all-around champion for 15-year-olds with a total score of 71.8. He was required to compete as a 15-year-old due to the event’s rules.
Conor was first on the pommel with a score of 11.9, first on rings with a score of 12.5, first on vault with a score of 12.9, first on parallel bars with a score of 12.4, and fifth on the floor and high bar. He was the state all-around champion for 16-year-olds with a total score of 71.5.
Conor and Liam were raised in the rigorous Japanese system at MAC Taisou, one of the strictest and more famous gyms that has produced five Olympians and many national team members.
Pat DeWolf coached at MAC. The boys were also accepted to train at Konami Sports Club for a few years, which is the same parent club that Kohei Uchimura, a seven-time Olympic medalist, attended. One of the coaches in their branch, Okiguchi Sensei, was a member of the 2008 Beijing Olympic team.
