Jade makes history in Swindon
8th May 2008

Rhythmic Gymnast, Jade Faulkner gets call up to European Championships

In the very short amount of time Stratton based gymnastics club, Esprit has been coaching children in Swindon, it has had tremendous success. Already boasting many competition winners, national squad members and International competitors, news from the club just seems to get better each year.

Being a young club its gymnasts have been dominant in the younger age groups, with 2 British overall Champions and several apparatus Gold’s to their credit.

But now they are growing in age as well as experience they are starting to make a name for themselves in the older age groups as well, none more so than 14-year old Jade Faulkner from South Marston.

Just this week Esprit’s head coach Deb Hows, received the amazing news that Jade had been selected to represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Turin Italy. The first Swindon trained gymnast ever to achieve this honour.

Deb said, “several months ago Jade was selected by the National team coach to take part in a number of selection competitions and trials that would establish if she had what it takes. She took part in two trials at the National Centre of Excellence in Lilleshall and then travelled as part of a GB delegation to Innsbruck where she won an overall Silver medal”.

“Her Innsbruck result ensured she was selected to the GB team for the LG International just last month, where she again excelled as the highest scoring GB gymnast”.

These amazing results ensured her selection to the team and she will be travelling with her coach Deb Hows to Lilleshall at the beginning of June and then both of them will fly to Turin with a GB delegation and fellow team members Kezi Gore & Jo Matcham from City of Cantebury and Lynne Hutchinson from the City of Bath.