Laura makes it 3 in row!

15th December 2008

Third title in a row for Laura Halford, as Esprit send 10 to British Championships.

Swindon gymnast and regular finalist of Swindon’s young Sports Person of the Year has ended the year in style with her third victory in as many years, at the British Rhythmic Gymnastics championships.

Travelling with another nine of her fellow club mates, to the Championships at Fenton Manor, Stoke-on-Trent, Laura dominated the under-12 section winning the overall title by a clear 2.749 margin and all the apparatus Gold medals available in the 2-day event. She was also voted gymnast with the most sparkling personality.

It was the culmination of a remarkable run for Laura who also recently won her 4th Welsh National title in as many years. She now moves up into the competetive Junior section for next years British Championships, which is being brought forward to June and will see her competing against gymnasts up to 3 years older than her.

Laura never had it her own way as far as the medals were concerned though and her Great Britain team-mate Jade Faulkner also had a great competition, picking up her own overall Bronze medal, in her last year as a Junior. Jade now becomes a Senior in 2009 and travels as part of the GB team to the Austrailian Olympic Youth Games straight after Christmas.

In the apparatus finals on day 2, Jade then went on to 5th place in Ribbon and Ball, 4th in Rope and a brilliant Silver for her Hoop. Her day was then made more special by being voted gymnast with the most charisma and receiving an award, along with her GB team-mates for their excellent achievement at this years Junior European Championships, where they produced GB’s best ever result.

Esprits GB members were ably supported by their club mates, who turned in some spectacular results of their own. Ellie Morse and Freya Wilcock competed in their first ever championships at under-10 level and excelled themselves with a 9th and 7th overall.

However Gabriela Caruso, in her second year, claimed a brilliant overall Silver, qualified for day 2 and then went on to win Bronze with her Hoop and another Silver in Rope.

At under-11 Maya Lucas and Alicia Veveris both competed well, with Maya 4th and Alicia 5th in the all around. Both girls qualified for the Sunday and Maya was placed 4th in Ball and 5th in Rope, whilst Alicia being 5th in Rope claimed a brilliant Bronze medal for her Ball.

At under-12, Laura Halford dominated, but that wasn’t to undermine the exceptional talent of another Esprit debutant at the British Championships. Hannah Curtis turned in a brilliant performance to claim overall 5th, this was enough to qualify her for day 2 where she produce another 2 consistent performances with 5th place in Clubs and Ball.

It was then the turn of the Junior’s with Esprit’s Gemma Rand, at her first British and Micia Falaki joining Jade Faulkner in this, another competetive group. Both girls performed excellent routines only just failing to qualify for the day 2 apparatus finals.

Head coach Deb Hows expressed her admiration for the efforts of all the Esprit girls, “it’s not many people, of any age, that can claim to have competed at a British Championship, but to have done so, in front of a very large crowd, the press & TV and to have produced such outstanding and consistent results is testament to their hard work and dedication, I’m a very happy coach indeed”, she said.