Local gymnasts head over heels with fine medal haul
NEARLY 100 children took part in a gymnastics festival held at Dewsbury Sports Centre as part of the Kirklees Youth Games.
Martin Gonzalez, Kirklees Sports Development Officer (Kirklees Youth Games), said: "With gymnastics certain to be a major attraction at the London 2012 Olympics, and British performers breaking through on the world stage, we want to raise the profile of gymnastics locally and the festival is the start of that. Hopefully it will become an annual event on the Kirklees Active Leisure calendar."
The morning saw gymnasts, who train regularly in the sessions run by Kirklees Active Leisure, take part in a morning competition opened by the Deputy Mayor of Kirklees, Councillor Eric Firth.
In the afternoon the floor was opened up to everyone under the age of 11. Children got the opportunity to try out a range of gymnastic elements, including vault, beam, bars, trampette, floor and rhythmic.
They were also able to get information about local gymnastic clubs and sessions.
There was plenty of success for the local competitors as girls in three age groups, under-8s, under-10s and over 10s as gymnasts from Dewsbury, Batley, Whitcliffe Mount, Deighton and Huddersfield competed in floor and vault events.
Dewsbury's Over-10s and Under-10s took the team gold medals and the under-8s achieved silver medal status.
The Dewsbury girls also excelled in the individual competition with gold medals for Lauren Berry, Evelyn Surman, Eloise Mitchell, Ellie Mariner and Molly McCabe.
Silver medals went to Amy Douglas and Chelsea Bradley.
Representing Batley Baths Ayesha Miller took gold on the vault and a silver medal overall.
Emily Hardhill collected the bronze medal on the vault in the under-8 competition.
Marie Bennett, coach at Dewsbury and Batley Baths said: "I am so proud of my girls they have worked very hard and enjoy their sport."
Jacqui Blesic, who has coached at Dewsbury with Marie for over 23 years, said it was an excellent event and the children thoroughly enjoyed the day.
The event was made possible with the support of Charlotte Robinson, of Kirklees Active Leisure, and Claire Diggle, of England Gymnastics, along with their team of judges and coaches.
Results from are available on the Kirklees Council website at www.kirklees.gov.uk/youth games.
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Weather for Batley
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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