Sleaford gymnast crowned all-round county champion

The club sent their biggest-ever team, with 18 gymnasts competing.

In the 12+ age category, Alex Boland performed on each apparatus with supreme confidence, earning gold medal in her category and the title of 12+ level six all-around champion.

Seven-year-olds Taylor-Jade Smith and Elspeth Barnabas did the club proud at level seven with Smith rewarded with a silver for her routines on beam, floor, bars and vault.

At level six, Lucie Andrews, Imogen Fletcher, Chloe King, Mia-May Bovington, Rachel Shields, Isla Smeed, Lotte Beaverstock, Erin Maxwell, Lily Grace Simonds and Ebony Docherty all performed at their best in the 9-11 year categories to produce some very respectable scores.

Chloe King produced a solid beam routine to get the sixth best beam score in the county at the level, and Lotte Beaverstock earned sixth place in a strong field despite illness on the eve of the competition.

Erin Maxwell delivered a strong set of routines and despite a fall on beam, came away with a bronze medal, and nine-year-old Isla Smeed performed a solid set of routines to finish with the third best beam score of the 75 level six competitors to win bronze.

In the level seven 12+ age category, Amelia Horbury, making her debut for Sleaford produced an excellent set of routines, earning herself sixth place. Izzy Woods, Niamh Turner, Annabel Scott and Elly Conway delivered some of their best performances in the level six 10yrs age category,

A clean beam performance, capped by a cartwheel landing, earned Niamh the sixth best score.

Judge and head coach Patsy Shields said: “Many of our gymnasts were competing for the first time at county level and they did themselves and the club proud.

“For the club to come back from a tough county competition with two all-around sixth places, the sixth and third best beam routines and sixth best bar routines and two bronzes and a silver would have been good enough.

“But to bring back a county champion was the icing on the cake for us,”

“We have big ambitions and together with amazing support from our parents, a fantastic coaching team and an awesome team of gymnasts we are in a very good position for future county, regional and even national success.”

For more information about the Club, contact 01529 968080 or [email protected]