HEREFORD Sparks Gymnastics Club members have produced outstanding results at a regional level, writes IAN MORGAN.
The club has also secured Gymmark accreditation, one of the first in Herefordshire to achieve it.
Twenty-two girls have passed their regional grades in Birmingham.
The six youngest members of the competition squad competed for the first time and each passed their Grade 6 with distinctions.
Tawna Prendergast is the new West Midlands champion at Grade 6 with Eulanwy Nixon behind her with the bronze medal.
The two girls took first position, between them, on all five pieces of apparatus against 46 other gymnasts from clubs in the West Midlands.
Fleur Bennetts is the West Midlands League 5 champion after taking gold in both regional championships last year.
Fleur was also selected for the Youth Development Squad for elite gymnasts in the West Midlands.
Alice Gwatkin is the reigning West Midlands Out of Age champion and Shannon Higgins took second spot with a silver medal.
Georgina Dahl secured a silver medal at the senior regional competition and is also one of the club’s young coaches.
Emily Preston continued the club’s success with a silver on bars and an overall bronze in a Novice competition at the University of Worcester.
Stephanie Norman and Aileen Moore secured bronze on vault, while Isobel Turner had a bronze on floor and Rhiannon Turton took silver on bars.
The club is run by a strong management committee and the head coaches are Shelly Badham and Gill Board.
Abbie Wooldridge is the choreographer and 15 volunteer coaches give up many hours to help coach the girls.
The girls train three times a week at Hereford Leisure Centre but want more permanent premises to allow the club to progress.
The club is keen to produce some gymnasts at a national level.
Anyone interested in sponsoring the club or keen to help with new premises, should contact Susan Ross on 07853 050014 or Claire Griffin on 07853 030710.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here