The Stars of Salcianu

Nov 23, 2013 by Lauren Stevens

Salcianu Gymnastics and Dance may not have a handful of girls competing on the elite stage right now, but watch out because Salcianu has three up and coming elite gymnasts. One of their gymnasts: 11 year old Maile O’Keefe competed at the 2013 Secret Classic, she did not qualify to the P&G Championships, however nothing is stopping her from trying to qualify in this upcoming 2014 season. Training alongside Maile are gymnasts Lia Whitman and Sienna Robinson. These three girls are throwing huge, amazing skills for their age, and they manage to do it with such poise and grace.

(L-R) Maile, Lia, and Sienna at the October 2013 developmental camp

11-year-old Maile O’Keefe was the youngest competitor at the 2013 Secret classic and has been the youngest competitor at most of her meets in levels 8 and 9. Being the youngest does not stop her though! Maile says that “I have been the youngest in my level for so long I really don’t realize that I am the youngest competing. I concentrate on going out and doing the best that I can. I don’t get caught up in being the youngest.”

6 year old Maile at the 2009 Malibu Coast Challenge (Level 4)

Maile competed level 4 at 6 years old in the spring of 2009. She won the all around at the 2009 level 4 Nevada State championships. She won the Nevada State All Around title in 2010 as well as a level 5. She also went through the TOPs program and made the “B” team in 2010, and the National “A” team in 2011 and 2012. At eight years old, in the spring of 2011 Maile skipped level 6, competed one meet as a level 7 and went right into level 8 at her next meet. Maile won two all aroundtitles as a level 8 and placed second at the state meet. Maile competed level 9 in the spring of 2012. She qualified to Regionals and was the youngest competitor at Westerns. In the spring of 2013, Maile repeated level 9 and won the Classic Rock Invitational and the 2013 level 9 State Championships. Maile qualified to Regionals, but did not compete so she could focus on the 2013 elite season. Maile skipped level 10, and in a matter of months she qualified as a Junior International elite gymnast at the American Classic. She did not even plan to compete in the junior elite division; her initial plan was to try to qualify as hopes, but her coaches decided to give her a shot at competing junior elite... And she made it! Maile competed at the 2013 Secret Classic, fell on beam but came back and had an impressive floor routine!

Maile plans to compete the 2014 elite season. She is already well-known for her awesome beam skills. She says beam is her favorite event to watch and her favorite gymnast is Shawn Johnson!

Maile (age 10) before 2012 Westerns (Level 9)

Watch Maile's floor routine from the 2013 Secret Classic here:

Training alongside Maile is 10 year old Lia Whitman, Lia completed her level 7 season in 2013 where she won beam at the Nevada State Championships. Lia is a beautiful gymnast to watch; she has great lines and is very flexible! Lia’s lines very much resemble Nastia Liukin. Lia’s plan is to compete level 8 this 2014 season, and try to qualify Hopes pre-elite. The season has not started yet, so it is still uncertain what can happen. Lia attended the October and November developmental camps, and had a blast! Lia’s favorite gymnast is Gabby Douglas, and her favorite event to watch is the floor exercise. “I like to watch floor because I like the music!” Lia says. Lia’s favorite skill to perform is a front aerial on beam, and during her free time she enjoys playing the piano.

Lia at the ranch

Lia at the walk of fame at the ranch

Watch Lia's 2013 elite training here:

The third of the bunch is 8-year-old Sienna Robinson. This little firecracker competed level 4 in the Spring of 2012 where she took third place on beam at the 2012 State championships. Sienna skipped level 5, and competed one meet as a level 6 in the fall of 2012. Sienna competed level 7 in the Spring of 2013 and competed at the 2013 Level 7 Regional Championships. Sienna may be only 3 feet 11 inches tall, but that does not stop her from throwing big skills! When Sienna was only seven years old, she was able to perform a side aerial on beam, and a back handspring layout step out on a thick medium beam. Sienna is improving each day, and is amazing everybody while she does it! Sienna’s plan is to compete level 8 this 2014 season, and maybe move up to level 9 halfway through the season. She attended the October developmental camp, and learned a lot! “Valeri would laugh when the girls would line up because of how tiny Sienna is,” says her coach Tammy Salcianu. Sienna enjoys singing, playing the piano, and playing guitar in her free time and her favorite gymnast is Nastia Liukin.

Sienna and Maile

Sienna at the walk of fame at the ranch

Sienna and coach Tammy

Watch Sienna's beam training here:

Maile and Lia are age eligible for Tokyo 2020, but Sienna is only eligible for the Olympics in 2024. Because these girls are so young, their coaches Tammy and Sorin Salcianu make sure that they will not burn out and they incorporate fun into the workouts. "We have a fun, hard working and loving training environment. Sorin and I feel, in many ways, that they are a lot like our own children. We have recently introduced a 'team' dog to the environment. This allows all of the girls to feel like they are at home and provides lots of laughs. We firmly believe in working hard, but at the same time having fun. If the fun gets lost we believe that so will the athletes,” says Tammy. Their dog is named Cugley. “We call him that because he’s so ugly, he’s cute!” says Maile.