The Norfolk Academy
of Gymnastics
Unit 10
Rookery Business Park
Silver Street
Besthorpe
Attleborough
NR17 2LD
T: 01953 453309
Email: info@tnag.co.uk
MEDALS FOR LUCY AND EMILY AT REGIONALS
26/09/2009
MEDALS FOR EMILY AND LUCY AT REGIONALS
Bethany Harmer, Lucy Jarvis and Emily Crowe represented the Norfolk Academy of Gymnastics at the regional in age levels championships at Ipswich on 26 September.
Fifteen competitors contested the level 4 event for girls born in 2000. Such is the strength of the East region this category included several of the top ranked gymnasts for the year group in the country. Bethany is still only 8 years old and from the start of the competition looked one of the classiest gymnasts on show. Competing all of the big moves including her tsukahara vault, flick flick series on beam, giants and backaway on bars and full twist on floor, Bethany certainly had the skills to fight for a medal. She started her competition brilliantly with a delightful floor routine (12.00) and an excellent vault (12.50). Unfortunately she made uncharacteristic mistakes on bars and beam which kept her scores on these pieces (which are generally two of her strongest) down. The strength of the field was such that these were mistakes she could ill-afford to make. Bethany still managed to amass a total score of 46.90, comfortably in excess of the qualifying mark for the national finals (which is 44.00) to take an impressive 6th place, a step up of 3 places from her result at compulsory 4 earlier in the year . Without the mistakes Bethany would easily have been 4th and part of the regional team for the national competition but, as it is, she must be content with representing her club at those finals which take place in November in Guildford. Bethany impressed judges, coaches and spectators alike with her exceptional skills and presentation and is surely capable of an excellent national ranking for the year if she can put in a clean performance.
Lucy Jarvis was one of a field of seven contesting the level 3 competition, with, once again, a place in the regional team for the national finals up for grabs. Lucy is becoming a steady and accomplished performer as she gains experience and she put in a clean and solid performance across the four pieces of apparatus. Her handspring vault was the best of the afternoon round (11.35) and her bars were simple but tidy (11.35). Beam is the piece where competitions are often made or broken and for the third competition in succession Lucy stuck her routine cold for 12.40. She brought her competition to a close with an entertaining performance on the floor to score 12.15. Her total of 47.25 placed her fourth overall and she picked up apparatus bronze medals for her vault and floor routine. Lucy will travel to the national finals as part of the East regional team.
The level 2 field had shrunk to only four competitors by the time the competition began. This once hugely strong age group reduced to a mere handful of gymnasts able to fulfil the testing requirements of this level. Emily started her competition on the beam which has been her nemesis at recent events. This time she was much more relaxed and put in a strong and controlled performance; 13.35 getting her competition off to a strong start. She moved to floor next where her quality of tumbling was exquisite and again hit 13.00. Emily performed the difficult piked Yurchenko vault and received another strong score of 12.925 and moved finally to bars where she put in one of her best bar routines for 11.3. Her total score of 50.375 put her comfortably in the overall silver medal position, behind Molly Taylor of Pipers Vale who is ranked as the number one gymnast for the year group in the country. Emily collected three silver medals, for vault, bars and floor and a gold medal for her beam, to conclude another hugely successful day for the Academy.
Congratulations to all three gymnasts, who have put in many hours of hard work to prepare for this event. The club’s strength across the levels means we are building a good reputation for turning out well prepared and skilful gymnasts. Attention turns now to the regional finals for out of age gymnasts on 10 October, the Bill Slater team championships on 25 October and the aforementioned national age group finals on 7-9 November.
