Jade goes down under, in search of Olympic dream!

4th December 2008

Esprit gymnast Jade Faulkner gets call up for Australian Youth Olympic Festival

The British Olympic Association has announced the athletes due to attend the Australian Youth Olympic Festival early next year. Amongst the delegates is Jade Falkner, a Swindon gymnast who trains at Stratton based club Esprit Gymnastics.

Jade a Rhythmic Gymnast is one of a growing group of excellent prospects at Esprit and was the first Swindon trained gymnast to be called up for her country at a major competition.
At her debut in the Junior European Championships earlier this year, she was part of the Great Britain team that lifted the sport to its highest ever position.

The British Rhythmic Gymnastics Junior Team demonstrated all the qualities of high performance needed to take them to London 2012 by finishing in 13th position out of 33 Teams at the European Championships in Turin, Italy.

And it was this fantastic achievement that helped pave the way for Jade to secure her seat on the plane to Australia and the chance to perform at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival between 14 & 18 January.

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) is a bi-annual multi-sport for Olympic aspirants between the ages of 13 and 19. It strives to provide a true Olympic experience to 1600 young competitors from 25 countries, and the Opening Ceremony incorporates the traditions of a full Olympic Games with an athlete’s parade, lighting of the festival flame, and raising of the Olympic Flag.

Jade will be in a GB team of 119 athletes from 11 different sports, with gymnastics supplying 16 from the various disciplines. Jade as part of the Rhythmic Gymnastics delegation teams up with Keziah Gore and Lynne Hutchison who were in the European team with her and Kerrie Denton making up the 4 strong team.

The games are a proving ground for the worlds up and coming sporting talent and many from the last games in 2007 went on to represent their country in Beijing, diver Tom Daley and gymnast Louis Smith, were two of those who made the transition, with Louis in particular winning Bronze on the pommel horse.

Club spokesman, Mark Hows said, “Jade was ecstatic with the news, she is sure to make the most of the opportunity and thoroughly enjoy the hospitality of a country that is well known for its love of sport and support for is athletes.

This success is the culmination of her own hard work, the support of the coaching staff at British Gymnastics and the incredible dedication of the coaching team at Esprit, in particular head rhythmic coach, Deb Hows, this is a success she also thoroughly deserves”.