'7-Up' for the British
24 September 2007

Esprit girls make it a fantastic ‘Seven’ for this year’s British Championships!

Stratton based gymnastics club – Esprit, has proved itself, yet again, to be one of the very best in the UK. Already boasting the under-10 British Champion, a member of the Welsh National team and 3 in the full British Squad, they have been continuing to work hard to improve still further.

This year the club had no less that seven of its rhythmic gymnasts competing, to try and gain the qualification mark required to make it into the British Championships. Gemma Rand (13), Micia Falaki (14)  and current British & Welsh Champion, Laura Halford (11), all from Braden Forest School. Gabriela Carusso (8) from Holy Rood, Maya Lucas (10) from Lethbridge, Alicia Veveris (10) from Chiseldon and Jade Faulkner (13) from Warneford all made the trip to Wales for a qualification tournament and all produced exceptional results.

The girls excelled themselves with their performances making them eligible for the deciding round, flexibility testing. They then made the long trip to Northampton where they undertook rigorous tests to see if they were of the standard required to gain entry into Britain’s premier competition, the British Championships.

All worked hard in the lead up to testing and Esprit’s high standards of preparation, body conditioning and attention to detail showed through with all seven of the girls passing with flying colours.

Club Chairman, Mark Hows said, “to have even one gymnast qualify for a British Championships is an exceptional achievement for any club and is really something to be proud of. To have no less than seven is incredible and continues to prove what can be achieved with the right coaches, half decent facilities and exceptionally talented young people. Swindon should be rightly proud of these outstanding young athletes”.

“Esprit is dedicated to giving all children the opportunity to achieve their own personal best, no matter what that level. We have children happy to train once a week, just for fun, through to some of the country’s top gymnasts training 25 hours a week or more. As these exceptional young lady’s have proved, hard work, discipline and excellent teaching can get you a very long way indeed, he concluded”.

All 7 girls will now all compete in the British Championships on 17 and 18 November at Fenton Manor, Stoke-on-Trent, later this year.