Two teams from the Goole Gymnastics Club travelled to Newcastle last Sunday, to take part in the English Gymnastics Teamgym Tournament.
Each team consisted of four gymnasts aged between 12 and 17 years, working in the Youth/Junior out of age competition at Level 4. Only two had competed before lockdown and the others were at level 5 and 6 until only two months ago and this was their first competition. Three gymnasts had to perform a run of three moves on the tumble track but it could be a different combination of gymnasts in each run. The moves had to be connected without a break in each run and the judges were looking for the best performed each time. Judges can only take marks away! Each team has also to perform three runs using a trampette, at least one has to be over a vault. The runs can be as simple as jumps or as hard as twisting somersaults, but accuracy in shape, height and a secure landing are all marked in the 1.2 seconds they are in the air. A real task for the judges.
The womens team of Ines, Maja, Katie and Laura were performing in their first L4 competition. They were working neatly doing moves which had recently been learnt. They ended up outside the medal positions but did very well against teams from much bigger clubs. They performed well and the coaches were pleased with their performance. The mixed team of Adam, Sophie, Erin and Tia had the problem that each run had to contain both genders, so Adam had to do all three. These gymnasts were slightly older than the women’s team but were a little more experienced. They performed with confidence on both tumble and trampette with more complex twisting somersaults gaining higher marks. At the end of the mixed team competition the Goole team gained gold medals being the tournament winners. All the gymnasts are now looking forward to their next competition although some are in the Display Team which will perform in Leeds on June 18 and at the York Barbican theatre on July 2. Some of the Goole gymnasts will be representing Great Britain in the National Display Team and the World Team in Amsterdam at the end of July/beginning of August at the World Gymnaestrada, a festival held every four years with over 20,000 gymnasts from over 60 countries. Anyone wishing to know more about Goole Gymnastics Club can email goolegymnastics @hotmail.co.uk or telephone the Club on 01405 769259. You can also call into the Club in First Avenue, on Saturday mornings or Monday to Thursday evenings.
(25-05-750 SU)
