On the 9th November, a talented cohort of Welsh gymnasts delivered outstanding performances across the FIG Development 2 and FIG Development 3 competitions, marking an important moment in the early pathways of Welsh women’s artistic gymnastics. For many of the gymnasts in the FIG Development 3 event, the competition represented the culmination of their grades journey, an exciting milestone as they look ahead to future stages of the sport.
In the FIG Development 2 competition, the Welsh team produced an exceptional collective performance to be crowned Team Champions. The gymnasts also shone individually throughout the event. In the all-around, Halle Davies finished 5th, followed closely by Renee Lewis in 6th, Alecia Henry in 9th, and Alexa Williams in 13th. On vault, Renee Lewis and Alexa Williams both claimed 3rd place finishes, while Alecia placed 20th and Halle 24th. The success continued on bars, where Renee secured another 3rd place finish, Alecia placed 8th, Halle 14th and Alexa 18th. Beam brought another near-podium result, with Halle finishing 4th; Alecia followed in 14th, Alexa in 18th and Renee in 23rd. The competition closed on floor, where Halle again impressed with 4th place, Alexa placed 10th, and Alecia and Renee tied for 11th. The combination of consistent, confident routines across all four apparatus sealed Wales’ overall team victory, a result that highlights the strength and potential of the nation’s pathway gymnasts.
In addition to the FIG Development 2 standings, the competition also included combined rankings for Excel 2 and FIG Development 2 competitors, where Alecia Henry achieved an outstanding 2nd place overall, a remarkable accomplishment that reflects her consistency across both competitions.
In the FIG Development 3 competition, gymnasts represented their clubs rather than Wales, as is standard for this stage. This event marked the end of their grades competition structure, bringing a sense of occasion and achievement for each athlete involved. Welsh-eligible gymnasts produced excellent results across all apparatus. In the all-around rankings, Sophia Davies (Clwb Cymru Caerdydd) delivered a superb performance to take silver, with Liliana Orhan (City of Liverpool) placing 8th, Betsy Jones (Swansea Gymnastics Centre) 9th, Mia Hunter (Park Wrekin) 18th, and Hettie McMahon (City of Liverpool) 20th. On vault, both Betsy and Sophia secured 4th place finishes, followed by Liliana in 15th, Mia in 18th, and Hettie in 22nd. Bars saw Sophia finish 7th, with Mia 13th, Hettie 18th, Liliana 19th, and Betsy 25th. Beam proved to be a standout apparatus for the Welsh gymnasts, with Sophia taking 1st place, Betsy earning 3rd, Liliana placing 7th, Hettie 14th, and Mia 22nd. The competition concluded with strong results on floor: Liliana claimed 2nd, Betsy followed in 3rd, Mia placed 8th, Sophia 10th, and Hettie 14th.
The combined Excel 3 and FIG Development 3 rankings further highlighted Welsh success, as Sophia Davies secured 1st place overall, topping the field in the merged competition.
Together, these results reflect an exciting period for Welsh women’s artistic gymnastics. The Wales team’s Development 2 victory demonstrates the nation’s depth of talent, while the achievements of the Development 3 gymnasts show promising progression as they complete their grades pathway and begin to transition towards higher-level competition. The performances highlight not only the skill and determination of the athletes but also the commitment of their coaches and clubs, whose hard work continues to drive Welsh gymnastics forward.
Welsh Gymnastics extends warm congratulations to all gymnasts, coaches, and support teams involved in these competitions. The future looks bright for this emerging generation of athletes.