A winning weekend at the British Schools Finals

Welsh Schools returned triumphant from the British Schools Gymnastics Association National Finals in Stoke over the weekend of the 4/5th May, with a fantastic haul of medals to take home. 

So much of this is down to the teachers who give up a tremendous amount of their time and effort to gymnastics, and with a great deal of willingness to learn and share ideas. This year, the teachers have really taken in the individual requirements of each discipline and have made some great progress across the board. 

We also can't forget the parents who travel up with their children and buy entries in order to give their young gymnasts an unforgettable experience.

A number of schools represented Wales at the National Finals this year, including Brecon High, Penyrheol High School, Corpus Christi, Ysgol Y Wern, Bro Morganwg, Pontarddulais ,Cae Top, Stanwell, Bodeden, David Hughes, St Gerards, North Road Primary and Frairs.

Everyone including our Welsh Squad gymnasts love taking part in these competitions, and it was a hugely successful weekend. The results are as follows:

Saturday Results

Peter Golberg (Friars school)                                 2^nd in the Over 14 Tumbling

Jea Maracha (Corpus Christi)                                 Under 14 British Tumbling Champion

Annais Mubengayi (Corpus Christi)                       2^nd in the Under 14 Tumbling 

Cameron Rippon, Emily Jones (Pontarddualis)    3^rd U1 14 Mixed pairs

Owain Griffiths (Ysgol Y Wern)                               3rd in the individual  Floor and Vault competition (Overall Individual)

Owain Griiffith, Rhys Gruffudd, Menna Reed-Perez, Brooke Edwards and Ffion Brown (Ysgol Y Wern)  - Under 11 Mixed Floor and Vault British Champions (Team)

Sunday Results

Owain Griffiths and  Mason O Reilly (Ysgol Y Wern)     2^nd in the Under 11 Mixed Pairs

Annais Mubengayi (Corpus Christi)                                  British individual Champion for Floor and Vault

After two days of competition, the final presentation :-

Welsh schools were named Champions in the Combined Tumbling event (U11, U14 and Over 14 scores together), and placed 2^nd in the regional competition for U11 Sports Acrobatics and Tumbling. In the Acro and Tumbling U14 and Over 14, Wales placed 4^th.

Owen Griffiths, Mason O’ Reilly, Elin Griffiths, Menna Reed- Perez, Ffion Brown, Brooke Edwads, Carys Mayers  (Ysgol Y Wern)

Ioan Thomas  (Dolau Primary)  

Isobelle Hardy, Elliot Sanders Shears   (Cae Top)   

Callie Williams  (North Road Primary)

Congratulations - you are all stars!  Yr ydych i gyd yn sêr bach!

This has been such a successful year for Welsh schools, but as Michelle Griffiths of Ysgol y Wern explains, the competition is about so much more than medals: "We are all delighted to be crowned British schools champions in the u11 floor and vault mixed team competition as well as achieving podium success in boys acro and in the boys individual all-round competition. However, the students have gained so much more than that! This experience has enabled the children to develop skills which cannot necessarily be taught in a classroom but will be valuable to them all through the rest of their life."  

We'd like to say a big thanks to our regional secretaries and to everyone in the Welsh gymnastics community for your continued support.

Next year, we would love even more schools and clubs to take take part in competitions like this and contribute to the amazing progress we're seeing at a national level. Most importantly, to give school children in Wales a wonderful experience and an opportunity to represent their county in a sport that they love. 

For more information on upcoming competitions and events, visit the Welsh Gymnastics calendar.