Hula hoopers display skills at NHF contest

Agility, creativity, concentration, speed and entertainment marked the first National Health Fund (NHF) hula hoopers competition finals, which was held last Saturday, July 10, at the Old Library at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Thirty students participated from a total of 48 who had qualified for the final.

Debra Guiness-Brown, wellness programme coordinator for the NHF, was happy with the level of participation.

"We were delighted to see the level of preparation of the finalists, where parents and teachers spent time to develop creative routines and worked with the children to make them perfect. The results were wonderful to watch," she said.

She went on to say that using the hula hoop as a means of physical activity has many benefits for both youngsters and adults alike.

Hope to improve health

"The NHF hopes that the competition will encourage more persons to get involved in this form of activity, and thereby improve their health. We will be working to reach many more schools to participate in the competition next year."

Alaina Dixon of Montego Bay Christian Academy received a bicycle as the winner in the 3-6-year-old category. In second place was Abbygale Hook from Bethany Basic School in Kingston, and third place went to Tenille Fuller from Amity Hall Primary and Infant School in St Thomas.

The winner in the 7-12-year-old group, who also received a bicycle, was Davicka Vassell of Maxfield Park Primary School in St Andrew, who edged out her schoolmate V. Patrick Hamilton. Chelsea Wright of Obistan Kinder- Prep School in Kingston placed third. Second and third place winners in both categories received sports gifts vouchers, valued at $8,000 and $5,000, respectively.

The hula-hoop routines were judged on degree of difficulty, use of body movement, rotation speed of hoop, choreography of routine, creativity with the hoop and fluidity of movement of the hoop.