Loughborough University proved to be a superb setting for the Men’s & Women’s English Championships which took place over three days in order to accommodate all the age groups. Bristol Hawks gymnasts were highly successful with champion’s, medals and competition goals all achieved.
First up were Izzy Davis & Gabby Wild both first year Espoirs looking for experience at this level. Izzy achieved a remarkable result becoming English Champion on Foor with a clean artistic performance. She stayed composed throughout the competition hitting all her routines to place 3rd Overall and also picked up a bronze medal on Bars. Gabby also had much to celebrate with new elements achieved and steady scores on all apparatus placing her midway in the All Around field with more to come and placing 9th on her strongest apparatus – Vault.
16 year old Harry Andrews competed in the Senior 16-18 years age group for the first time. His nervous start on High Bar cost him dear but he was fantastic on the rest of the apparatus and his execution scores reflected this. His best score was on Parallel Bars 12.65 [ just 0.85 lost in execution] and he placed 10th on Pommels with a personal best performance.
In the Senior Women’s event Claudia Fragapane had a difficult task having only just returned from competing at the America Cup in Dallas [see reports section]. In typical fashion she rose to the challenge, successfully competing all her new upgrades. Particularly pleasing was her first ever 14+ score on Bars. She successfully defended her English Senior Vault Title, was 2nd in the All Around, 2nd = on Bars and also picked up the bronze medal on beam despite a fall on her usually solid standing full twist back somi. With a record 7 medals won for Bristol Hawks gymnasts at a single English Championships and numerous competition goals achieved this was a great performance at the beginning of a very busy year for our gymnasts. Well Done!