Diamonds’ Well Travelled Gymnasts!

Gymnasts from Diamonds Gymnastics Club have spent the last two months travelling the country representing the Club and Yorkshire at various competitions.

(Picture 1 – Group) First up was a trip, in September, to Wiltshire with a team of 14 gymnasts to compete at the Alpha Factor UK Invitational. This was a first taste of national competition for Abigail Lampkin (8), Lavinia Raymund Jayadev (8), Jemma North (9), Leah Stansfield (10), Eleanor Holmes (10) and Natasha Plumpton (11). Also representing Diamonds was Natasha Raymund Jayadev (10), Danielle o’Sullivan (12), Chloe Davey (13), Victoria Harris (13), Laura Walker (13), Laura Wadsworth (13), Kim Ward (14) and Nicola Wilson (16). The highlights of the weekend were Nicola’s silver medal on Vault and 5th place on Bars, together with Laura Walker’s 4th place on Bars and Victoria’s 5th place on Floor. The weekend also marked a return to competition for Kim Ward after a year out with a serious injury.

(Picture 2 – Threesome) The following week was the Yorkshire Championships for 9 and 10 year olds. Lavinia, Abigail and Jemma performed well in the Level 4 competition finishing in 8th, 9th and 13th position overall respectively. Abigail also took gold on Floor and silver on Beam and Lavinia bronze on Vault. (Picture 3 – Twosome)In the Level 3 competition Georgina and Natasha Raymund Jayadev placed 2nd and 3rd overall respectively. Georgina also took gold on Vault and Floor, silver on Bars and bronze on Beam with Natasha taking the bronze on bars. Both girls were selected to the Yorkshire Team for the British Championships which were held in November.

Next up was another trip to Wiltshire where Katy Sellers (24) represented the club at the English Championships. After a year of reduced training due to her professional commitments as a physiotherapist with Leeds NHS Trust, Katy finished a respectable 14th overall.

Returning to Halifax, the gymnasts then competed at the Yorkshire Club Teams competition. (Picture 4) At Level 4, Abigail, Jemma, Lavinia and Natasha Plumpton took the bronze medal. (Picture 5) At FIG level, Laura, Laura, Nicola, Kim and Victoria took the silver medal. (Picture 6) However, the Level 3 team of Georgina, Natasha Raymund Jayadev, Danielle and Chloe went one better to take the gold medals. This is the second consecutive year that Diamonds has won this trophy.

With the competition season drawing to a close, Georgina and Natasha had another trip to Guildford for the British Championships. Both girls worked hard for the competition and had new skills to perform. In the big arena nerves got the better of Natasha leading to some costly mistakes. Georgina placed 32nd overall with some minor errors costing her nearly 20 places!

Well done to all the gymnasts, coaches and parents for their hard work at these competitions. Good luck to Laura Wadsworth and Nicola Wilson who have a trip to Aldershot in a few weeks for their British Championships.

Diamonds' Gymnasts

Rio Alexis and Erin Sorton recently enjoyed a successful day out in York. The girls represented Diamonds Gymnastic Club at the Yorkshire Level 5 CHampionships.

Rio (10) competed against girls from across the region and finished in overall bronze medal position. SHe also took gold on floor and vault as well as bronze on bars.

Erin (11), competing against girls nearly 2 years older than her put in an excellent performance to finish 12th in Yorkshire.

Well done girls!

Diamonds' Gymnasts success

On Sunday 20th April nine gymnasts from the club took part in the Level4, 6 and 7 Women's Artistic competition held at Dewsbury.

All of the gymnasts performed well with Libby, Nicola Ackroyd and Rebecca Butterworth performing new moves in a competitive environmen for the first time.

Carmen Ward-Vitoria was awarded the silver medal at level 6 on beam.

At level 7 for the 7/8 age group E;eanor Sumner acheived silver medal for her overall performance as well as gaining bronze for vault and flor plus silver for her beam routine.

Georgina Taylor received broze for her bar work at level 7 in the 9/10 age group, while Holly Wickham achieved silver on vault and bronze on beam.

In the level 7 11/12 age group 2 more of the club's gymnasts acheived medal positions. Charlotte Shackleton came second overall gaining the silver medal. In doing so she received gold medals for her beam and floor routines. Jessica Pollard was third overall. She also received silver medals for her vault and floor routines as well as a bronze on beam.

Overall the club had a successful day.