Swindon
Gymnasts Dream of the Olympics
23
January 2006
Flexible
friends: Esprit gymnasts Jade and Laura
Two
rhythmic gymnasts have become the pride of Swindon and
could well be flying the Olympic flag come 2012.
Jade
Faulkner, 12, and Laura Halford, 9, both members of Esprit
Gymnastics in Stratton, have been selected to represent
Great Britain and have their sights set on the Olympics.
Both girls attended trials in December following the British
Championships and have had to wait nervously for over
a month to find out if they made it.
But
when the news came in, Jade had been selected for the
British Junior Squad (Under 12) and Laura had made the
Under 10s. "I was in the dentists when I got the
call!" says Jade, a pupil at Warneford School in
Highworth. "I was really excited. My head teacher
is going to tell the rest of the school in assembly."
Laura's
selection caps a brilliant year that has seen the nine
year-old claim the Welsh Under 10 title and silver and
bronze medals at the British Championships. She's also
had a taste of international competition, representing
the Welsh National Squad in Russia, and has even come
second in a Swindon sports personality of the year poll.
"It was really nerve-wracking going to the trials
and it was horrible having to wait over a month to find
out," says Laura, a pupil at St Sampson's School.
"But it was brilliant when I finally got the call
and I was really excited."
Body
Conditioning
For
both girls, selection for the British squad is the result
of phenomenal natural ability, combined with hard work
and tremendous dedication. This means training for up
to 20 hours a week, including six days at Esprit, where
they will practice everything from skipping, ballet and
balance to tummy strength and leg flexibility. This is
on top of practicing at home every day, paying great attention
to their diets, and of course keeping up with their school
work.
Selection for the British squad will mean going to Shropshire
every month starting in March to train with other girls
their age from across the country. Says Jade: "Training
with the British squad will be even harder than what we've
done so far but we feel we're well prepared."
It also means they could now be called upon any time to
represent their country in International competition,
including major events such as the World Championships,
the Commonwealth Games and, ultimately, the Olympics.
Olympic
dream
It
may be six years down the line, but the 2012 Olympics
is a realistic dream for Jade and Laura, who will both
be old enough to compete. "I've always wanted to
go to the Olympics since I first started gymnastics when
I was three," says Laura. "It would be really
cool to compete in London, but I know I have to work really
hard to get there."
"We'd love to go together as friends," says
Jade, "but we may also be rivals at the Commonwealth
Games! With Jade representing England and Laura Wales,
but we'll be friendly rivals!"
Mark
Hows, Esprit Manager, says "It's still a long way
off but both Laura and Jade will be approaching their
best in 2012 and have a very real chance. This is their
dream and they have been expertly prepared for the challenge
ahead."
Both
Jade and Laura say their heroes are Alina Kabaeva, the
Olympic Champion from Russia, as well as local legend
Beccy Jose, now a star of the Cirque du Soleil. Jose,
a Commonwealth Gold Medalist and four times British Champion,
showed what was possible for a Swindon gymnast and she
has continued to support Esprit since her move to Canada.
Springboard
for the future
Says
Mark Hows, "Esprit is, after less than two years,
now recognised as a major force in both Artistic and Rhythmic
gymnastics, with many regional and national medal winners
training at the club."
Now
with over 650 members, Esprit has continued to grow since
it moved to its Hobley Drive venue in February 2004, and
is one of the very few clubs in the country to have a
specialist rhythmic gymnastic floor. "This means
it is very likely Olympic teams from throughout the world
will want to use the club's facilities in the run up to
the 2012 Olympics," says Hows. "This will mean
the world's very best gymnasts coming to Swindon as a
result of Esprit's hard work."
The
future, it seems, is very rosy for local gymnastics.
