WORCESTER, Mass. — Hannah Hathaway, who competes for Gigueres gymnastics, has qualified for the Level 9 Eastern Championships, which is the national championship for everyone east of the Mississippi River.

This year's competition is in Myrtle Beach during the first weekend of May.

"This is my third year at Level 9, so I'm excited to finally get to keep going with the season," Hathaway said. "It would mean a lot because I get to show what I've been working on for all this time."

"It's a huge accomplishment for Hannah and our program at large," said Colleen Cecchi, Hathaway's gymnastics coach at Gigueres Gym. "To be heading into Easterns that first weekend in May, it's something Hannah's worked for for many years.  The culmination of many years of hard work, it's due to Hannah's dedication and her work ethic. Hannah works hard as a role model for both her teammates and all the athletes that step into our program."

Hathaway is a freshman at South High Community School.