GYMNASTGYMNAST British Digital Magazine JUNE 2014

“IT’S A GREAT RELIEF TO HAVE THESE MEDALS AROUND MY NECK” EUROPEAN CLAIRE ALL-AROUND STARKEY JUNIOR CHAMPION COACHING BECKY & ELLIE DOWNIE OPENING SHOT and can’t contain their excitement as they are about to embrace debutante , at the end of a successful qualification at the Artistic European Championships in . RipGuardian CONTENTS Comfortable. Reliable. Rip Protection. WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE...

“My mum bought RipGuardian TWEET WALL CLAIRE STARKEY: BECKY AND ELLIE DOWNIE the other day for me and it Top tweets from our biggest fans Claire talks about coaching the two champion sisters arrived two days before I got this rip. I am 10 years old and on 6 28 National Squad - I train 24 hours a week and so getting rips is a frequent occurrence in my training (I get them at least once a month). I used a small piece of RipGuardian and was able to put it on myself using athletic tape to secure it. I must admit I was a bit sceptical as I hate wearing any kind of protection, but it was amazing! The day after I got this rip I was able to do a full bar session when normally I would have needed to stay off the equipment for a couple of days...”...”

Amelie Morgan Level 2 - Slough Gymnastics 8 50 EUROPEAN ARTISTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS IZZY SONGHURST Medal success for Great Britain’s senior and juniors Five minutes with the Junior Euro champ

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Wall Nick Hope Jessa Kieran Maxwell Fund Kate McKenna

@NickHopeBBC @laurenjessa @Kierans_Fund @Katemadeleine If I was asked for one word to This is obviously where 2morrow 1yr I won #gold at BBC Sport homepage tonight describe the male & female talent @CatherineLyonsx would live, AcroGymnastics makes me a very happy in the British Gymnastics setup, according to @OtotheBeirne @BritGymnastics beaten #Gymnastics fan :D :D :D Welcome to our it would be “FRIGHTENING” and @GymCastic cancer & 2morrow Im doing #2014Euros #TeamGB @bbcgetinspired 1st race as a T42 sprinter @BBCSport @BritGymnastics twitter wall - This amazing @IPCAthletics month we’ve put together the best fan tweets. Our gymnasts couldn’t do it without your support! They’re Tom Barnes funny, inspiring Rachel Smith Jaquisam Olivia Saunders @barneygym and clever! Tom Barnes @barneygym @Gymnast_Rachel @jaquisam @livvy_saunders @GiarnniM @NileMW Enjoying the Rhythmic here in @BGMediaTeam oh I’m Who’s Not Impressed face is @brinnbevan @thompson_Jay Stoke on Trent! Hope cheering at the tv don’t better? @McKaylaMaroney your making us very proud to be @lynnehutch94 and worry, am sure it’s loud or @DanKeatings Score British and involved in @jadefaulkner like enough to reach Sofia. should have been higher!! FOLLOW US @BritGymnastics at the my banners! @BritGymnastics moment! So proud!! @BritGymnastics GYMNAST 6 GYMNAST 7 ‘SENSATIONAL’

EUROPEANARTISTIC CHAMPS

f there was one word to sum up the 2014 Artistic IEuropean Championships that took place last month in Sofia, Bulgaria, it would have to be ‘sensational’. Never before has a championships been so full of emotion, passion and gymnastics excellence from a team of truly inspiring individuals. In total over the event for both men and women, our British teams won 24 medals - 10 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze. Photos - Volker Minkus Volker - Photos

European champion - pommel horse

GYMNAST 8 “ PAIN IS TEMPORARY, MEN’S JUNIOR EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONS Giarnni Regini-Moran, Jay Thompson, Joe Fraser, Nile Wilson PRIDE IS FOREVER.” and Brinn Bevan

Giarnni Regini-Moran took gold and silver after an injury the night before the event

Junior men’s national coach Barry Collie: “A lot of hard work and emotion goes in to our performances and we do it all with pride at representing our country.”

JUNIOR MEN

ur junior men call themselves the ‘honey high bar gold. Giarnni Regini Moran powered Obadgers’ because they are determined his way to floor gold and vault silver, with Brinn and fierce when it comes to competition and Bevan securing all-around bronze, parallel bars for a fourth consecutive time they dominated and rings silver and Jay Thompson floor silver. Europe by taking team gold. Nile Wilson led the way and became our most successful junior gymnast of all time, taking the all- Joe Fraser was a crucial part of the winning team and around title and pommel, parallel bars and he certainly kept the boys spirits up singing non-stop on the bus on the way to and from the arena!

‘YES!’ Coach Barry Collie celebrates with Nile WIlson

GYMNAST 10 GYMNAST 11 WATCH GIARNNI REGINI-MORAN’S GOLD MEDAL WINNING FLOOR ROUTINE

Brinn Bevan winning silver on rings (right, and below winning bronze together with Nile Wilson’s gold in the all-around final

WATCH NILE’S POMMEL HORSE GOLD MEDAL WINNING ROUTINE

Nile described winning five junior European Jay Thompson (left) won silver medal gold as the best feeling of his life on floor; while the boys (above) celebrated gold in the Team event “ PROUD OF THE WHOLE TEAM! WHAT AN AMAZING FIGHT FROM EVERYONE!”

Dan Keatings

‘WAHOO!’ - Sam Oldham shows his customary pride as more medals come Britain’s way

SENIOR MEN

lthough our senior men were Adisappointed to not have retained their European title, they took silver in style and proved beyond doubt they have the skill and determination to comeback from anything. Dan Purvis proved once again he is a world class floor worker by taking bronze on the event and Sam Oldham and took silver and bronze on the men’s pinnacle event, the high bar. took pommel gold in a spectacular final which saw him finish above the reigning Olympic Champion.

Max Whitlock took his time to focus on the pommel ahead of his routine, he was ready to dominate it and that he did! Gold and the European title ahead of the Olympic champion was everything he had hoped for.

Kristian Thomas (above left) on his Dan Purvis (above) claims floor bronze way to high bar bronze Dan Purvis (left) smiles with coach Andrei Popov as he wins floor bronze European Team silver medallists: Daniel Keatings, Sam Oldham, , Max Whitlock and Kristian Thomas From left: Rhyannon Jones, Catherine Lyons, , Teal Grindle and Ellie Downie, celebrate a Team silver win

JUNIOR WOMEN ur junior women caused quite a stir before Othese championships as their results and style were noticed by many fans across the world. Their team silver was the first team medal ever won by a British junior team and they followed this up with two European Teal performed a Champions (Catherine Lyons on floor and Ellie beautiful beam routine Downie on the vault). Ellie also took the all- under pressure to around bronze which was another first for Great secure Team silver Britain, with Amy Tinkler adding vault bronze and floor silver to the team’s collection.

Women’s national coach Nick Ruddock supported the women’s silver medal winning team every step of the way. And his care of each individual and their own goals was evident when he screamed “It’s Tinkler time!” to Amy Tinkler before her floor exercise. “IT’S TINKLER TIME!” NICK RUDDOCK “THERE’S ONE THING NO ONE CAN TAKE

AWAY FROM European junior GREAT BRITAIN champion on vault - OUR TEAM SPIRIT!”

Matt Baker and Nick Hope talk through a brilliant week for the British Junior women

European junior champion on floor GBR senior women who won the Team silver medal: Rebecca Tunney, European Team silver medallists Hannah Whelan, Claudia Fragapane, Becky Downie and Ruby Harrold with coaches Colin Still, Liz Kincaid and physio Louise Fawcett SENIOR WOMEN

ur senior women were more Rebecca Downie had waited a long time Odetermined than ever for these for the moment she so craved – to win a championships. Their silver team medal major international medal. With a calm and victory over Russia was sensational head she performed the routine of her and Becky Downie adding her gold medal life to win gold ahead of from the uneven bars certainly made it the reigning Olympic champion, Aliya one to remember. Mustafina.“I wouldn’t change one thing about my life right now. I’m so blessed to be Gymnastics veteran Hannah Whelan surrounded and supported by such special used her crucial international experience people! Dreams do come true!” to encourage the team to achieve their best. She was modest however and first went to thank everyone else, “A huge thanks has to go to my amazing coach Claire Duffy who has been my rock for the past 19 months! - This means everything to us; the support from everyone has been amazing.” European champion on GYMNAST 22 uneven bar The look on Claudia Fragapane’s face says it all - GBR senior women are European Team silver medallists 2014

“ DREAMS DO COME TRUE!” BECKY DOWNIE Claudia made her first major senior international debut in Sofia. Her highly difficult and creatively choreographed floor routine was praised by many.

Ruby Harrold (top left) on beam, Rebecca Tunney (top right) and Hannah Whelan (bottom) made it a European championships to remember for the British women.

GYMNAST 27 ELLIE WITH CLAIRE AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 IN SOFIA, GOLDEN BULGARIA

WHEN YOU SEE THEM THEY LOOK SIMILAR, SISTERS “BUT PHYSICALLY AND CLAIRE STARKEY TALKS IN THEIR GYMNASTICS ABOUT COACHING SISTERS THEY’RE QUITE BECKY AND ELLIE DOWNIE DIFFERENT CLAIRE STARKEY By Tim Peake ” ecky and Ellie Downie made another opportunity for her to the way, every training session a perfectionist and demands a lot Becky we negotiate more and more, When you see them they look Bhistory at the recent European demonstrate her skills and gain back at Nottingham Gymnastics of herself. I have to reassure her she knows herself and what she similar, but physically and in their Championships, the sisters both even more valuable experience at Club and every championships that everything doesn’t have to be can do, so we have to have a good gymnastics they’re quite different. claiming gold on the final day of this level. the girls have competed at for perfect straight away all the time, it’s dialogue. Becky has great amplitude and the competition. GBR, we caught up with an alright to have to keep on trying to elegance and Ellie has phenomenal Both girls enjoyed a fantastic emotional Claire as she reflected get it right. It can sometimes be difficult to power - Ellie the vaulter and Becky For senior Becky, her bars title championship, Becky claiming on the journey she has been balance as they are different ages the bar worker. There was always a was the culmination of years of team silver and bars gold while through with both sisters. Ellie is more of a do-er, she just gets but they work well together and worry as Ellie got better and older hard work and dedicated team Ellie completed the full set with on with it, which may be because of encourage each other, and that that they would be competitors but performances as the Beijing vault gold, team silver and all- First up we wanted to find out her age, but she takes it more in her really does works both ways not just the fact that they haven’t necessarily Olympian strived for an elusive around bronze. what it’s like to coach the sisters, stride. from the older sister. Ellie is also got the same strengths as each individual major championships the attributes they have and the very good with Becky and I think it other means they aren’t direct rivals gold following success back In the background watching, challenges she faces as a coach. Becky has the higher expectations helps both girls to have that support which is great, there’s no conflict just at the Commonwealth Games supporting and mentoring was and that adds pressure. I’m more in the gym when they’re training healthy competition.” in 2006. For Ellie, the junior the girl’s personal coach Claire “They have really different dictatorial with Ellie whereas with every day. championship represented Starkey. Claire has been there all personalities” Claire said “Becky is

BECKY ELLIE

GYMNAST 28 GYMNAST 29 BECKY ON VAULT (LEFT), AND CELEBRATING WITH CLAIRE AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPS MY (RIGHT) “HEART RACED EVERY DAY, FOR EVERY BRITISH GIRL CLAIRE STARKEY” For Becky, the battle for the title Last year we tried to really push “I was absolutely confident of Watching my two was so scary, especially has been a long one, but Claire the routine and go for a medal. In success, Ellie is the best vaulter in in the team events when I wasn’t on the has always had confidence that Moscow at the Europeans there were Europe we know that, although we floor, it’s even tougher to stay calm when one day it would come… two new skills and we had a chance didn’t talk about that before the watching from the stands. I was over the of a medal. Then into the World event. It would have taken a mistake moon with what both girls did for the team. “Becky was very disappointed about Championships we upgraded even for her not to win the title. I was very missing out on London 2012 as was more and she broke the 15 mark in pleasantly surprised she made bars As for their individual achievements, when I, I think it knocked her confidence qualification but the pressure took final although thinking back at the people ask me about it I want to cry just and that took a long while to get over in the final, however it was results I shouldn’t have been, the talking about it. Sitting on the plane I was over. When 2013 came around it another step toward the podium. power does translate well for her. asked by a stranger how we got on and I became a challenge to then carry on Ellie was very, very motivated and mentioned our results and nearly burst and compete alongside some of the We then stuck with this routine to focussed for these Europeans. Like in to tears just saying the achievements. girls who had been in London. make it secure and that was this with Becky we already have plans to It was very emotional and I’m now very European performance. In the team add to Ellie’s routines to take her up excited for the future, you do have your We made a decision to come back event the girls needed her to be solid another level.” doubts along the way but we are now super fighting and looked at areas to and she was with the easier routine, focussed for the future.” improve, on bars for example we then came the final, she knew the The final day of the knew that could be a major focus. big routine would get her gold. The championship was the crowning She has always been a great bars only worry was her confidence, but glory of a great week for all worker and been successful but the she had done the routine over and the British girls and especially FOLLOW routine wasn’t big enough to get to over again in the last six months and the Downie sisters, for Claire ELLIE (ABOVE) BECKY! WON the medals. She always competed she was ready in my mind. Of course the whole experience was an EUROPEAN for the team and was invariably top now we are already looking at the emotional rollercoaster… JUNIOR GOLD scorer on beam and vault. She was next step forward.” ON VAULT second to Beth on bars but when “I thought my heart would burst it came to the individual finals she The achievements for Ellie at the through my GBR jacket, even with FOLLOW hadn’t been able to do it for herself. Europeans were always hoped for Ellie when I knew the vault could and the aim is already in place for come. My heart raced every day, for ELLIE! future success.. every British girl.

GYMNAST 30 GYMNAST 31 The world’s greatest gymnastics event is coming to Glasgow in 2015 Tickets on sale May 2014. Register online for priority access. 2015worldgymnastics.com

GYMNAST 33 RHYTHMICBRITISH CHAMPS Photos - Alan Edwards Photos

aura Halford was crowned the 2014 Senior Rhythmic It was Frankie Jones who took the silver medal after Lall-around Champion after a closely fought battle three solid routines with the hoop, ball and clubs. An between some of the country’s top gymnasts. unfortunate mistake during her ribbon routine cost her the title but it was a fantastic return to the British The crowd were treated to an awe-inspiring display of Championships for Frankie after not competing since at Fenton Manor in Stoke, as the 2012 when she went on to represent GB at the 2012 country’s top gymnasts battled it out for all-around London Olympics. She took the all-around silver with a glory. score of 59.448.

Laura successfully defended her British title with Completing the podium was Mimi-Isabella Cesar whose exquisite routines each fantastically executed. 2014 beautiful artistry and consistency earned her the bronze has so far been a success for Laura who recently won medal with a score of 54.399. the Welsh title and this will all put her in good stead to be selected for team Wales at the forthcoming In the junior category, Abbie Wyver took the gold with Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She retained her some incredible performances to score 47.732 with crown with a score of 61.465 across the ball, hoop, Christianna Vitanova in silver with 45.232 and Selina ribbon and clubs. Brown in bronze with 43.232.

“I’m so happy to have won, it was really unexpected! I just British titles also went to gymnasts in the under 12, wanted to go out and do my routines well and didn’t really under 11, under 10, group and disability categories. think about the scores. I knew how difficult the competition was going to be so I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I’m really excited about the Commonwealth Games in the summer now, I’m hoping to make the team and I think team Wales will be really strong!” NEWS, RESULTS & VIDEOS Laura Halford took the British apparatus titles in the hoop, ball and ribbon with 2012 London Olympian, Frankie Jones dominating the clubs event.

WATCH LAURA’S HOOP ROUTINE FROM THE 2014 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

GYMNAST 36 GYMNAST 37

Christianna Vitanova

Lauren Moult Selina Brown Mimi-Isabella Cesar TEAMGYM BRITISH CHAMPS

Photos - Alan Edwards Portsmouth celebrate!

he 2014 British TeamGym The senior men’s title went to 1066, the The primary men’s gold went to Pinewood, TChampionships saw a host of superb mixed crown to Basingstoke with the primary women’s title to Leatherhead and performances as teams battled for the hotly contested women’s senior title Dorking Gym Club with Crewe and Nantwich prestigious titles at Fenton Manor. going to Portsmouth. taking the disabilities level four crown.

With many of the senior and junior Pinewood took the junior mixed gymnasts competing with the potential crown, Crewe and Nantwich the junior to secure a place to represent Great men’s gold with Portsmouth winning Britain in the European TeamGym the women’s junior title in the most RESULTS Championships being held in October, competitive category. in Reykjavik, the pressure was high.

GYMNAST 42 GYMNAST 43

@ 8554_a4_advert_aw.indd 1 19/03/2014 09:31 FIVEMINUTES WITH... WOMEN’S JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPION IZZY AGE: 15 SONGHURST CLUB: OLGA TRAMPOLINE CLUB

his month, we spent five minutes WATCH IZZY IN ACTION AT THE 2014 Twith trampoline gymnast Isabelle EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (Izzy) Songhurst who recently won the women’s junior European title.

Izzy trains at OLGA Trampoline Club in Poole alongside some of Britain’s other top gymnasts including Nathan Bailey, the 2012 Men’s Senior British Champion. Izzy was crowned 2013 under 15 British Champion and is a stylish gymnast who oozes confidence so make sure you keep an eye on her in the years to come...

GYMNAST 50 GYMNAST 51 GYMNASTICS... THINGS YOU MIGHT My highlights Competitions.. This definitely has to be becoming Junior To be honest during competitions I don’t NOT KNOW... European Champion in April this year. I’m really think about anything. Although, if I’m still two years under the top age for juniors, struggling with something I will always focus Things you might not know Favourite possession... but I knew if I hit a good routine I could be on the technical coaching I have been given about me… My favourite possession is my phone; I live on it competitive in the final, to win this year was but generally everything is automated in I can be very stubborn! For example when I first whenever I am free! a bonus. competition from the hundreds of repetitions I started primary school I refused to keep my Siblings... do in training! hair tied up so my mum cut it really short as a I have a 16 year old brother with severe autism Hardest skill... punishment! Preparation... who I love more than anything. The two hardest moves I have had to learn are a I have a specific warm up I do before getting Favourite music... ‘Full Full Straight’ (double twisting double back on the trampoline and I always eat a banana a Perfect day off... somersault straight) and a ‘Pike Triff’ (a forward My music playlist depends on what mood I am couple of hours before I compete, but I am not triple somersault piked with half a twist in the in, although Justin Bieber is my guilty pleasure! Sat on my sofa with a friend with a cup of hot last somersault). They are hard in different ways. a superstitious person. I rely on hard work and chocolate watching my favourite films or TV confidence to enhance my performance. Favourite food... series. My favourite meal is by far beef lasagne and my favourite snack food is Oreos.

The British team and my heroes... It is amazing to be surrounded by such hard working, inspirational senior trampoline gymnasts, for example, our senior ladies who are current European and World Team Champions. The two people I admire most on the trampoline are Luke Strong (GBR-Senior European Bronze medallist) and He Wenna (China-2008 Olympic Champion). Luke because he is so dedicated and ambitious but most of all I admire his guts and determination to come back from such a horrific injury to where he is now. He Wenna, well I just love the way she jumps she is so elegant and makes everything look easy! FOLLOW IZZY! GYMNAST 52 GYMNAST 53 IZZY WAS CROWNED 2013 UNDER 15 BRITISH CHAMPION THE GYMNAST DIGITAL MAGAZINE VOLUME 52 ISSUE 5 Editor WHAT’S Tim Peake [email protected]

Features Editor Olivia Howard COMING UP [email protected] Contributor

Vera Atkinson [email protected] JUNE 28-29 13-18 Design WOMEN’S EUROGYM 06-07 20 Karen Uppal, Joanne Richards WOMEN’S ARTISTIC VOL. IN AGE GROUP and Mark Young ARTISTIC TEAM Helsingborg, BRITISH TEAM LEVELS 5, 4, 3, 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS 14-15 CHAMPIONSHIPS Heathrow Gym Club, Hounslow BGtv LONDON WOMEN’S All Levels Fenton Manor Leisure Centre, OPEN Heathrow Gym Club, Hounslow 19-20 Stoke-on-Trent Gareth Finchett and Phil Marsh Vol. In & Out of Age Levels 4/3/2, GYMFUSION 20-21 [email protected] Challenge/FIG, Espoir, Junior, GUILDFORD TRAMPOLINE, Senior - Heathrow Gym Club Gymnastics for All & British Gymnastics JULY/AUG Guildford Spectrum, Guildford 07 WOMEN’S ARTISTIC DMT BRITISH Official Photographer BILL MCLOUGHLIN CHAMPIONSHIPS 21-22 02-12 NATIONAL Echo Arena, Liverpool Alan Edwards WOMEN’S ARTISTIC ACROBATIC WORLD 24-03 APPARATUS TEAM www.sports-photo.co.uk CHALLENGE CUPS AGE GROUPS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS Guildford Spectrum, WORLD CHAMPS Fenton Manor Leisure Centre, 21 Advertising Guildford Levallois, France Stoke-on-Trent LONDON MTC TONY Anthony Cave JOHNSON (REGIONAL Cabbell Publishing Ltd, COMMONWEALTH QUALIFIERS) GAMES Wimbledon Studios, 12-14 Europa Centre, Dartford 1 Deer Park Road, 21-22 05 Rhythmic & LONDON OPEN RHYTHMIC NDP FINAL GYMFUSION YORK Glasgow London, Group League & Open Group Gymnastics for All CHAMPIONSHIPS SW19 3TL Europa Centre, Dartford Walsall Sports Centre, Walsall Festival SUBSCRIBE TO THE T. 0203 6037934 [email protected] York Barbican, SEPTEMBER LATEST CALENDAR York 22 13-14 DATES Published by GYMFUSION BRISTOL WOMEN’S ARTISTIC British Gymnastics Bristol 05-08 BILL SLATER CLUB 05-06 HEATHROW AEROBIC Ford Hall, TEAMS Lilleshall National Sports Centre, GYMNASTICS Fenton Manor Leisure Centre, Newport, & TUMBLING NDP INTERNATIONAL Stoke-on-Trent 23-29 FINALS Shropshire, AEROBIC Double Mini Tramp, Tumbling, COMPETITION TF10 9NB Bracknell Sport & Leisure Centre, WORLD CHAMPS Trampoline Tel 0845 1297129 Bracknell Cancun, Mexico Telford International Centre Registered In England No. 1630001 VAT Reg. No. 100166672 GYMNAST 56 GYMNAST 57 GYMNASTICS POISE. STRENGTH. GRACE. SUPPLENESS.

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