Okehampton Flyers Gym, Trampoline & DMT Club had 57 gymnasts qualify for the British Gymnastics South West Regional Challenge Cup final in Bath, with 54 competing on the day.
The gymnasts stood out for their tidy performances at all levels, from club 1 to the national open grades.
Eight gymnasts including Kathryn Scott-Tucker, Alex Szwanc, Abbie Friend, Leo Dunbar-Tate, Alys Peacock, Evie Nicks, Emily Szwanc and Mason Parker-Groves became Challenge Cup Champions in their grades.
Isobella Law, Freya Hancock, Amelia Peacock, Jessica Pearce, Freya Simmons, Ebony Honey and Esther Smith achieved silver medals, with Bo Langman, Erin Burrows, Isabelle Hawkins, Isabella Back, Beatriz Gouveia and Logan Neville taking bronze medals in their grades.
Many other club finalists achieved top 8 places. The Flyers also won several gold, silver and bronze team medals.
Head coach Vicki Pritchard said: “Well done to all of the gymnasts who qualified and who have worked so hard preparing their routines and passes and for showing real team spirit and support for each other at the competition. Also a huge thank you to our coaches and judges who volunteered and supported the gymnasts throughout the day, and to Kirsty our competition secretary for organising such a large entry.”
At the South West trampoline and DMT qualifier in January, the Flyers had their largest entry into a British Gymnastics competition yet, with 78 gymnasts competing, and achieving 41 podium places including 24 golds. The club has many more gymnasts preparing for British Gymnastics regional and national trampoline, DMT and tumbling competitions this season.
Okehampton Flyers is a not-for-profit British Gymnastics club and has grown considerably over the last few years, with sessions seven days a week in gym, tumbling, trampoline, double mini trampoline and pre-school gym in Okehampton, and new sessions in Holsworthy.
The club’s gymnasts can choose to work towards British Gymnastics regional and national competitions or to take part at participation level. The club has had a great deal of success at regional and national qualifiers and finals, and had a gymnast represent England and come 5th in an international competition in Sweden last year.
Thanks to a generous grant from Okehampton United Charities last year, the club now has a longer tumble track, a new DMT and runway, and has had many more coaches qualify in gym and trampoline.
To watch videos of skills the gymnasts learn at the club, some of their competition routines and see the latest news, visit the club’s Facebook and Instagram pages @okehamptonflyers.