No early Bath for Esprit gymnasts
7 December 2007

Competition season draws towards a successful close at the Bath Open at the University of Bath sports campus.

With no less than seven of its young gymnasts qualified for this year’s British Championships, it was a case of preperation, preperation, preperation, for the young stars of the Stratton based elite gymnastics club, Esprit.

The girls were working hard perfecting routines and the visit to the Bath Open, with some of the clubs other exceptional gymnasts, showed the potential and possibility of things to come.

BATH OPEN
Gabriela Caruso, Freya Willcock, Ellie Morse, (under 9); Alicia Veveris, Maya Lucas, (under 10); Laura Halford, Hannah Curtis, (under 11), Gemma Rand (under 13) and Jade Faulkner & April Coombes (junior), all took part. Most perfecting routines for the British Championships, they showed their true style with 20 medals between the 10 of them.

Gabriella, in full practice for her first ever British, showed her potential with a clean sweep of the Silver medals, Silver in both her apparatus, secured her the overall Silver medal. She was followed closely behind by team-mate Freya who herself commanded three Bronze medals. Esprit’s other under 9, Ellie, another newcomer to the pressure of high level competition was a well deserved 5th overall.

Esprit and GB squad member Alicia Veveris had a brilliant Bronze and Silver in the under 10 apparatus, which gave her the overall Silver, with Maya Lucas winning Bronze for her rope which gave her 5th place overall.

Reigning under-10 British Champion, Laura Halford, confirmed her position at the top of British Gymnastics with a commanding triple Gold, two apparatus and the individual under 11 Championship. Teammate Hannah Curtis came up with a commendable 5th overall.

In the under 13’s Gemma Rand delivered two Bronze medals in Rope and Ball to secure an overall 4th place. She was followed by juniors April Coombes and Esprit’s third British team member, Jade Faulkner. Very neat routines secured an overall 6th place for April, with Jades 4 fabulous Bronze medals and one Silver, ensuring her Esprit’s final podium position of the day, with a well deserved Bronze medal.

A great start to the British Championship preperations by all.