4
May 2006
'Hows'
that for a fine performance?
COURTNEY Hows and Carla Williams confirmed themselves
as two of the best young gymnasts in the country with
fine performances for the South West at the British Artistic
Grades Championships in Birmingham.
Hows,
from Swindon's Esprit club, particularly impressed, going
one better than her bronze medal of last year.
She
took overall silver and just missed gold by 3/100ths of
a mark and is now officially recognised as the second
best Club 'Grade 2' gymnast in Britain.
The
South West team won silver against the 12 regions of Great
Britain, themselves missing out on gold by nine-tenths
of a mark to the South East team.
That
wasn't the only success for Esprit over the Bank Holiday
weekend, as their rhythmic gymnasts were at the Canterbury
Cup, an international competition featuring the best of
the world's competitors from the likes of Russia, Finland,
Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, Estonia
and the United Kingdom.
Qualifying
was held on Saturday, with outstanding performances from
the Esprit competitors.
Laura Halford was first in both the under 10 hoop and
free and qualified for the Sunday international as part
of Team GB1 Alicia Veveris was also first, in the under
nine free and qualified along with Laura Halford Meanwhile,
Micia Falaki finished third in the under 13 hoop and qualified
as part of Team GB3.
All
three girls performed well on the Sunday, with Halford
being the best British competitor, coming in fifth overall.
