A QUICK session before the FISAF Nationals International Grande Fitness final was the last push Warrnambool EKB Fitness and Aerobics' junior team needed to score a ticket to the World Championships.
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The RESPECT Junior International Grande Fitness Team, which is named after Aretha Franklin song of the same name, stormed from fourth into third with their final routine to come home with a bronze medal and selection in the national team.
The club's head coach Emma Chapman contributed an impromptu training location helped calm the team of Brianna Kilpatrick, Alana Bellman, Tijana Kelly, Hayley Dalton, Maddison Drake, Mia McDowall and Charli Toone.
"Going into nationals they were the fourth-best Victoria team and they were sitting fourth in semi-final so we got together, when we had two days off, and had a training session on tennis courts," she said.
"We used what we could and talked to them about how they had nothing to lose and just to go out and enjoy themselves as they were nervous on Thursday and it showed on stage.
"Then on Sunday after that session they felt more confident and just went out there and enjoyed themselves and went for it, left nothing in question, pushed really hard and the atmosphere pushed them over the line.
"It was fantastic team effort form the girls and they looked like a different team on final day."
The seven-strong team, which is coached by Sophie Bellman and Chapman and choreographed by Brenton Andreoli, will continue to train for the World Championships to be held in the Dutch city of Leiden from October 10 to 12.
Top results were frequent at the national championships in Brisbane with Jordan Rooke also qualified for the Australian team after scoring a gold medal. But due to university he will not be attending this year.
Other promising results for EKB were a second place for Adult Fitness Team Fly Girls, a first place for duo Eva Joseph and Georgia Dalton.
Dalton also collected a third place while Joseph secured a seventh in their indivudal events.
Carlie Bauer finished sixth in an individual event. The duo of Mia McDowall and Charli Toone missed a medal by one place. Fellow duos in Rhiannon Kirby and Emily Janssen, Maddison Drake and Brianna Kilpatrick scored a ninth and fifth place respectively.
Some of the EKB Fitness and Aerobics team will compete again this weekend at the School Aerobic and Dance Star National Championships on the Gold Coast.
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