By Special to the Town Crier

Several competitors from Gold Star Gymnastics in Mountain View claimed state championships last month at Northern California Level 5 and 6 state meets.

Three Gold Star gymnasts placed first all-around, making them the top gymnasts in the state in their respective skill levels and age divisions.

Alice Shteyn is the new state champ for Level 6, 13-year-old division. Shteyn placed second on beam with a score of 9.275, and was third on floor.

Michelle Ho of Los Altos became all-around state champ for Level 5, 10-year-old division, by winning the bars (9.2), beam (9.275) and floor.

Sarah Howell of Los Altos Hills earned the all-around state title for Level 5, 13-and-over division. She won the beam (9.225) and grabbed second on bars (9.35).

Second place all-around was earned by Noelle Schulenburg for Level 5, 9-year-old senior division. She placed first on bars (9.25), tied for second on floor and took third on vault (9.025). In the Level 5, 11-year-old junior division, Lauren Jow claimed second all-around. She placed second on beam (9.15) and floor (9.0).

For their efforts, Schulenburg and Ho were later named to the six-gymnast Northern California Level 5 All-Star Team.

Other outstanding performances were as follows:

Ali Bo won the state championship on floor for Level 5, 11-year-old senior division.

Diane Gaydos finished fourth all-around for Level 6, 14-and-over division, tying for second on beam (9.0) and taking third on bars.

Natalee Pei of Los Altos came in fifth all-around for Level 5, 10-year-old senior division, capturing third on beam (9.075) and fourth on floor.

Raechel Harnoto was awarded sixth all-around for Level 6, 12-year-old division, earning second on floor (9.175).

Andi Bo finished eighth all-around for Level 5, 11-year-old senior division, taking second on both beam (9.2) and floor.

Michela Fossati finished eighth all-around for Level 5, 11-year-old junior division.

Brittany Skinner of Sunnyvale won second on vault for Level 5, 10-year-old senior division.

Alessia Dorin took fifth on floor for Level 5, 10-year-old junior division.

Jessica Chang, Breanna Adams and Jenny Knall all finished with more than 32.00 all-around, averaging better than an 8.0 per event.

As a team Gold Star’s Level 5 gymnasts came in second in the state among more than 40 teams competing.

The Gold Star team is headed by Kim Gussenhoven, a nationally ranked coach for 25 years, with assistance from former Chinese Olympian Li Lu, plus Savina Krakowski and Gilda Tehrani.