Amelia Smith is an ex-gymnast from Christchurch School of Gymnastics (CSG) who shows that in life you can do anything if you just put your mind to it! Amelia is battling terminal kidney cancer but didn’t let that stop her from completing the 243km Coast to Coast course across the South Island recently.

Amelia was a competitive gymnast at CSG for 10 years where she represented Canterbury in Levels 7, 8 and 9 and was the National floor champion for two years running. She then went on to coach for CSG and was a Canterbury Nationals coach as well.

Amelia was greeted by a large number of supporters, including those she use to coach, at the finish line – a moment we are sure she’ll never forget. Gymnastics teaches resilience and Amelia has certainly embraced this trait and has proved that a strong mind can achieve anything.

We wish Amelia all the best with any other challenges she takes on, and thank her for being an inspirational role model to the community.