IN PICTURES: Wakefield gymnasts impress on way to national success in British Development Finals

At the British Development Finals Wakefield’s Freya Bishop, Caitlin Farrow and Amber Hough were crowned British champions in the youth women’s trio section.

From the get go these young gymnasts meant business and their routine was faultless through the choreography and the gymnastics elements.

More success came in the youth women’s pair section as Bryony Nicholls and Scarlett Kimber were in a different league to the rest of the competitors with what was regarded as the best routine of the day in any event.

It was outstanding work for a pair that have big aspirations and a gold medal was the result.

Wakefield Gym Club have a long tradition of producing outstanding male gymnasts and in Lukas Watt, who is partnered with Madeleine Pang, it was like watching the production line all over again as they gave a faultless routine that just flowed from start to finish.

Lukas showed great strength and determination and Madeleine had the finesse of a prima ballerina to blow the rest of the field away with a brilliant gold medal performance.

Not to be out done in the mixed pairs competition Joshua Dooler and Rosie Norris put in a great performance to go head to head with much older partnerships and to stand on the medal rostrum in silver medal was a fantastic achievement.

In the grade 3 women’s trio section it was touch and go to see if Havanah Riddel, Bea Tallent and Poppy Horgan would even be able to take part with one of the girls sustaining a bad injury in the run up to the competition.

But in true Wakefield Gym Club grit and determination this young gymnast was not going to miss out on competing at the national finals.

For most girls just taking part would have been reward enough, but not these three as they performed a routine good enough to win them a bronze medal.

In the grade 4 women’s group Wakefield had some of the youngest competitors in the country taking part in Sophie Penny, Eva Roddis and Mailey Brown. These three little lionesses were fierce in the warm-up before they went out to compete, they marched on the floor and came up with an epic routine that earned a bronze in one of the hardest fought groups throughout the day.

In the Grade 5 trio Wakefield had three gymnasts taking the floor with a real point to prove and Abbie Leigh Styles, Katie Knowles and Elisa Wilkinson showed great strength, brilliant balance and amazing somersaults, combined with outstanding choreography.

The judges were impressed, but came up with a split decision, two placing them in first and three putting them in second so silver it was.

In the International Development Section Wakefield Gym Club stalwarts Alex Gledhill, Lucy Willis and Mia Jones were just out of the medals after an uncharacteristic mistake in the balance routine. They had been in the top three from the somersault.

If you are interested in your child taking up gymnastics Wakefield Gym Club have spaces available, contact them on [email protected] or by ringing 07810 673669.