Southport Olympian Raises The Bar at Club Championships.

The standard at Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club was higher than ever this year as 47 gymnasts from the boys and girls Elite Squads competed for the 2008 Internal Competition Squad Championships.
Great Britain’s official reserve for the Beijing Olympics, Daniel Purvis, took first place in the senior boys section while Hayley Meredith took the senior girl’s title.
This traditional annual competition provides spectators with spectacular gymnastic performances, providing a rare opportunity for spectators to see both female and male gymnasts performing at the same time.
Over the past 12 months 12 gymnasts from the boys squad have represented the North West at the National Club Finals and Frank Baines another British U.14 International came 1st in the Elite National Finals .
Olympic reserve, Daniel Purvis was part of the historic British gold medal winning team at the European Championships winning the overall silver medal for his individual performance.
Speaking at the Club championships, Boys Coach Jeff Brooks said:
“As usual the standard is very good and all our gymnasts have worked very hard to improve their performances over the last 12 months. We are delighted with the success of our star gymnasts but equally so with the rest of both squads who continue to improve.”


The results of the 2008 Club Championships are listed below.

Senior Girls
1st Hayley Meredith
2nd Beth Durrant
3rd Maia Craig

Junior
1st Leah Wells
2nd Lauren Smith
3rd Abigail Gleig

Primary
1st Lucy Kent
2nd Jessica Andrew
3rd Ruby Fellows

Senior Boys
1st Daniel Purvis
2nd Frank Baines
3rd David Rimmer

Junior
1st Charlie Eley
2nd Sid Baines
3rd Michael McCallum

Primary
1st Nathan Gleig
2nd Alfie Baines
3rd Ross Balmer

There is no overall champion in the Novice section that included Callum Scragg, Thomas Lawson, Tom Mitchell and Max Beeley, whom each won various individual medals.

Success for Southport gymnasts

Southport gymnasts are going for gold after an outstanding performance at the Lancashire grading competitions.

The Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club hosted the annual event at their Segars Lane gymnasium in Ainsdale where 99 girls from across Lancashire competed over five pieces of apparatus for a place in the North West finals.

Club members Abi Gleig scooped the overall Gold Medal place in the Grade 5 competition finishing first in the beam and floor while team-mate Shannon Gibbons gained bronze medal. Both girls will go on to represent Lancashire in the North West finals next month.

Competing alongside Abi and Shannon were eight other gymnasts from Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club who narrowly missed out on places in the final but were successful in achieving their respective grades.

Jessica Andrew, Lucy Kent, Ruby Fellows, Zoe Wood and Kristen Sharrock achieved Grade Six while Beth Forden and Briony Gallagher together with Abi and Shannon passed their Grade Five. And competing in her first competition Anya Day made an impressive debut finishing in 4th place in the Pre Grade Six competition.

Steve Wynne, Head Coach of the Girls section at Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club said:

“The girls have trained very hard for this event and I am delighted with the results. All of the girls achieved their respective grades and we are delighted that two of our gymnasts will be representing Lancashire.

“All of the girls work very hard throughout the year training four times a week and their success is very well deserved. We wish Abi and Shannon the best of luck in the North West finals.”


Back Row left to right: Beth Fordon, Abi Gleig, Shannon Gibbons, Briony Gallagher. Front row left to right: Kristen Sharrock, Anya Day, Lucy Kent, Zoe Wood, Ruby Fellows.