Tuesday
23rd Jan 2007
Our
fab four!
THE
phenomenal success of the Esprit Gymnastics Club shows
no sign of abating after four of its members were selected
to become part of the Great Britain squad.
The
Stratton-based academy's Jade Faulkner (12), Laura Halford
(10), Harriet Evans (10) and Alicia Veveris (nine) travelled
to the National Sports Centre in Lilleshall to take part
in trials for the Great Britain National Squad.
The
trial came after they qualified from the British Championships
held just before Christmas.
The scores they achieved on that day formed part of the
scoring for selection.
Faulkner
came fifth overall in her age group and won a bronze medal
in rope.
Meanwhile,
Veveris claimed silver in hers along with two more silvers
in the apparatus finals.
Evans
won bronze in the under 10s and another for rope.
Halford,
already a Welsh international, won gold in the individuals
and double gold in both apparatus finals, becoming a 'triple'
British champion.
Those
scores gave the Esprit girls a great start, but all four
then had to undergo strength, flexibility and conditioning
tests, as well as showing individual skills in front of
the national coach at Lilleshall.
The
standard at the trials was high with the country's best
taking part. Only 11 places were available, meaning a
tense wait before Esprit learned that all four had made
the British squad.
The
news follows 12-year-old Courtney Hows winning a coveted
place in the British Women's Artistic Gymnastic Championships
later this year.
She
will be joined in the South West Squad by nine-year-old
clubmate Abbie MacKenzie.
