2022 Gymnastics British Championships - Official Digital Programme

#2022BRITISH 24-27 MARCH 2022 M&S BANK ARENA, LIVERPOOL

OFFICIAL DIGITAL PROGRAMME

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GYMNASTICS BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

HOODIES & EVENT T-SHIRTS HOODIES & EVENT T-SHIRTS

GIFTS & ACCESSORIES

GIFT & ACCESSORIES

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It gives me enormous pleasure, on behalf of British Gymnastics, to welcome you to Liverpool, to the M&S Bank Arena for the 2022 Gymnastics British Championships. It is great to see so many of you here as the Championships return for the first time in this form since 2019!

I’m excited that we are all here this weekend, to witness what will be a fantastic spectacle. Over the next four days you will see some of Britain’s best young gymnasts, best disability gymnasts and best senior artistic gymnasts impress, with more than 8,000 people expected to be in attendance during this time.

The gymnasts have shown an incredible amount of commitment, hard work and an abundance of skill to get here.

In congratulating them, we shouldn’t forget those behind the scenes too.

From the coaches, clubs, judges, volunteers and parents, all of this wouldn’t be possible without your dedication and support.

I would also like to thank our principal funding partners, UK Sport and Sport England, and our partners and preferred suppliers for their continued support.

For me personally, this is my first experience of the Artistic Gymnastics British Championships. I, like you, am looking forward to watching four fantastic days of competition. I hope you have a brilliant weekend.

FROM SARAH POWELL

BRITISH GYMNASTICS CHIEF EXECUTIVE We#StandWithUkraine | 3

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2022 GYMNASTICS BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS Over four days, you’ll witness some of Britain’s best artistic gymnasts compete, all with the aim of being crowned British champion.

2022 is a huge year and the British Championships here in Liverpool are just the start! The gymnasts will be pulling out all the stops to impress. Here is your guide to four days of non-stop action at M&S Bank Arena.

GYMNASTICS EXPLAINED All-around Gymnasts aiming for all-around titles compete on all apparatus (that’s six apparatus for men and four for women). Scores on each apparatus, for each gymnast, are then added together to get their all-around total. The person with the highest score is declared the winner.

ALICE KINSELLA

Apparatus finals The top eight scoring gymnasts on each apparatus will qualify for the apparatus finals.

This will then see each gymnast compete one routine with the top three scores deciding the medals. The only exception to this is on vault, where in the final, gymnasts must compete two different vaults.

Disability Masters The Disability British Championships took place last year, with the Masters seeing some of the top qualifying gymnasts on each apparatus return. Here, like the apparatus finals, the top three scoring gymnasts on each individual piece will decide the medals.

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THURSDAY 24TH MARCH TIME

SCHEDULE

11:00

Doors open

12:05 - 14:10

Espoir Women’s All-around and Apparatus competitions - Subdivision One Women’s Disability Masters

12:05 - 14:35

Men’s Disability Masters competition

14:45 - 15:10

Medal ceremony – Women’s Disability Masters and Men’s Disability Masters

17:15 - 19:00

Espoir Women’s All-around and Apparatus competitions - Subdivision Two

17:15 - 19:45

Men’s Under 16 All-around and Apparatus competitions

19:55 - 20:25

Medal ceremony – Espoir Women’s and Men’s Under 16

Espoir Women’s All-around and Apparatus competitions The women’s espoir event sees Britain’s best 12 and 13 year olds compete across vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. The all-around title, where scores on all four apparatus are combined, will be decided, as will the apparatus titles where the top scoring gymnast on each piece will be crowned champion too.

Men’s Under 16 All-around and Apparatus competitions Taking place alongside the espoir women’s competition will be the men’s under 16 gymnasts with the future stars of men’s artistic gymnastics competing for the British allaround title as well as individual apparatus medals.

Women’s Disability Masters and Men’s Disability Masters competitions Also competing in the morning will be the top female and male disability gymnasts in the country as they go head-to-head for Masters titles on each apparatus. Competing will be some of the gymnasts that scored highest at the Disability British Championships in 2021.

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FRIDAY 25TH MARCH TIME

SCHEDULE

13:15

Doors open

14:15 - 16:00

Junior Women’s All-around competition - Subdivision One

14:15 - 16:45

Men’s Under 14 All-around and Apparatus competitions - Subdivision One

18:35 - 20:20

Junior Women’s All-around competition - Subdivision Two

18:35 - 21:05

Men’s Under 14 All-around and Apparatus competitions - Subdivision Two

21:15 - 21:35

Medal ceremony – Junior Women’s and Men’s Under 14

Junior Women’s All-around The junior women are Britain’s best 14 and 15 year olds and will compete on Friday in two subdivisions across the four apparatus of vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Scores will then be combined for an overall ranking which will decide the allaround medals. The top eight scoring gymnasts on each piece will return on Sunday for apparatus finals.

Men’s Under 14 All-around and Apparatus competitions In the men’s under 14 competition - again across two subdivisions - gymnasts will battle for all-around and apparatus titles on floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

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SATURDAY 26TH MARCH TIME

SCHEDULE

09:55

Doors open

10:55 - 13:35

Senior Women’s All-around competition - Subdivision One Men’s Under 18 All-around competition

13:45 - 14:05

Medal ceremony – Men’s Under 18

15:10 - 17:50

Senior Women’s All-around competition - Subdivision Two Senior Men’s All-around competition

18:00 - 18:10

Medal ceremony – Senior Women and Senior Men

Senior Women’s Subdivision One and Men’s Under 18 All-around competitions Saturday sees the senior gymnasts compete for British allaround supremacy. First up it’s the senior women’s competition, with the first of two subdivisions taking place alongside the men’s under 18 all-around. These competitions also double up as qualifying for individual apparatus finals which will take place on Sunday.

Senior Women’s Subdivision Two and Senior Men’s All-around competitions In the afternoon we see our second and final subdivision of senior women enter the arena along with our senior men. Here you’ll see all of our experienced GB stars in action!

GEORGIA-MAE FENTON

For both the men and women, the competition also serves as a qualifier for Sunday’s individual finals (top eight gymnasts on each piece of apparatus).

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SUNDAY 27TH MARCH TIME

SCHEDULE

09:10

Doors open

10:10 - 13:40

Junior Women’s Apparatus Finals and Senior Women’s Apparatus Finals

10:10 - 14:25

Men’s Under 18 Apparatus Finals and Senior Men’s Apparatus Finals

14:30 - 15:25

Medal ceremony – Junior Women, Men’s Under 18, Senior Women and Senior Men

Junior Women and Men’s Under 18 Apparatus Finals Sunday’s competition see’s the top eight qualifiers on each apparatus battle it out for individual titles.

The future stars of gymnastics in Britain are in action with the junior women and under 18 men hoping to impress.

Senior Women’s and Senior Men’s Apparatus Finals It’s going to be an action-packed final day in Liverpool with the senior women and senior men also returning to the competition floor for apparatus finals. The top eight qualifiers on each apparatus will be in contention for places on the podium.

HARRY HEPWORTH

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BONUS MARKS There are bonuses for linking two or more difficult elements, for example two release and catch elements on the uneven bars or horizontal bar.

QUICK GUIDE TO SCORING ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

ARTISTRY, DANCE AND CHOREOGRAPHY

New to gymnastics? Here’s a full guide to how you can follow the scoring at the Artistic British Championships and beyond.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW In each routine the judges will count the ten highest value elements for men and eight highest value elements for women.

The only exception to this is vault.

THE JUDGING PANELS There are two judging panels in artistic gymnastics. One looks at difficulty (the ‘D-Score’ panel) and one looks at execution (the ‘E-Score’ panel).

EXECUTION A good skill is one that is as near to perfect as possible, but this can’t always be the case. Judges deduct routines for errors, with the most obvious being when a gymnast falls. This results in a 1.0 point deduction. Other deductions include steps after elements, bent arms and bent legs.

Women receive marks for artistry on floor and beam. The judges are looking for an overall performance, which includes expression, confidence and personal style, with a varied tempo throughout the routine. There’s no such thing in men’s gymnastics, but they must work hard to stand out. Elements are added into floor routines, showing originality and creativity.

CALCULATING THE FINAL SCORE The final ‘D-Score’ and the final ‘E-Score’ are added together to give the total score for the routine.

‘D-Score’ Two judges assess the difficulty of each skill.

Skills are rated from A to J, with A being the easiest.

These are then added together to get the ‘D-Score’.

Vault is the only exception. Each vault is assigned a points value. That points value is the ‘D-Score’ for that apparatus.

‘E-Score’ Five judges evaluate the execution of each skill.

Evaluating execution includes noting technical errors such as falls, bent arms and multiple steps.

All gymnasts start on an ‘E-Score’ of 10 before execution faults are subtracted.

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GADIROVA SISTERS

ONES TO WATCH Last year Ondine Achampong from Aylesbury and Joshua Nathan from City of Birmingham took the prestigious all-around titles, but can they become back-toback champions at M&S Bank Arena this weekend? Both will be hoping to do just that but will face the toughest of tests against Britain’s other worldclass stars.

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC In the women’s all-around competition, Ondine’s Aylesbury teammates, Jessica Gadirova and Jennifer Gadirova, will certainly be ones to watch. The dynamic duo enjoyed a breakout year in 2021, with Jessica becoming European floor champion before both were part of Team GB’s bronze medal winning Olympic team.

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Alice Kinsella from Park Wrekin was also part of that successful team, with the 2019 European beam champion a consistent performer across the apparatus. She will no doubt be challenging for medals. As will Georgia-Mae Fenton from South Essex. She’s an exceptional bars worker, is confident on all apparatus and will be vying for all-around medals.

Another exceptional bars worker will also be competing, with two-time Olympian and 2019 uneven bars world silver medallist Becky Downie looking to qualify for apparatus finals.

2018 all-around champion, Kelly Simm, will be in action as she returns to the competition floor. A regular in British teams for several years, Kelly competed on all apparatus just a couple of weeks ago at the English Championships and will be looking forward to returning to Liverpool.

There are also several up-andcoming gymnasts to keep an eye on.

Alia Leat from Heathrow and Halle Hilton from Pipers Vale both had success as juniors and will be keen to impress, as will the exciting Welsh quintet of Ruby Evans, Jea Brittany Maracha, Poppy-Grace Stickler, Mali Morgan and Sofia Micallef who compete as seniors for the first time after dominating the junior competition last year.

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MEN’S ARTISTIC Similarly to the women’s all-around, the men’s all-around competition is wide open, with several world-class gymnasts hoping to stand on top of the podium.

Current champion, Joshua Nathan, will firstly look towards his City of Birmingham teammates as rivals for the title, with Joe Fraser being top of that list. Joe won world parallel bars gold in 2019 and finished inside the top 10 in the all-around final at the Olympic Games last year.

James Hall from Pegasus also finished inside the top 10 in the allaround final at last year’s Olympic Games and will be one to watch as he looks to reclaim the British title he won for the first time in 2019. An exceptional gymnast, expect him to score well across the apparatus.

Another gymnast in the hunt for medals this weekend is Giarnni Regini-Moran, also from Pegasus.

He too represented Team GB at the Olympic Games last year and will be hoping to start 2022 well at the British Championships with one eye surely on the Commonwealth Games and World Championships on home soil later this year.

Courtney Tulloch from South Essex is an outstanding gymnast to watch.

He’s a contender on the world stage on both rings and vault, so make sure you don’t miss his routines this weekend.

JAMES HALL

Also competing from South Essex is former British all-around champion and 2016 Olympian Brinn Bevan. Brinn will be targeting a spot on the Welsh team for the Commonwealth Games this summer and is sure to be going all out in Liverpool. As will Joe Cemlyn-Jones from City of Birmingham who is another Welsh gymnast targeting a spot on that Commonwealth team.

City of Birmingham have a strong stable of gymnasts right now, and you can add fans favourite and 2018 European floor champion Dom Cunningham to the list of gymnasts in the hunt for medals this weekend, as well as British squad gymnast Korben Fellows, also from City of Birmingham.

JAKE JARMAN

Make sure you keep an eye out for Jake Jarman from Huntingdon who has a bright future ahead of him. He was the reserve for the Olympic Games last year and is brilliant to watch, particularly on vault and floor. Hayden Skinner from South Essex is another that excels on floor. Look for him to be targeting apparatus finals with his twisting tumbles.

The remaining challengers for all-around and apparatus titles include Frank Baines from Notts who has won apparatus titles here before as well as Notts teammates Euan Cox and Sam Mostowfi, Falcon’s gymnast Adam Tobin and City of Glasgow’s Pavel Karnejenko, all of which have experienced finals in Liverpool before.

Add to that a whole host of exciting prospects, including Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse from Leeds, and Raekwon Baptiste from Notts, and it’s set to be an exciting weekend of action.

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FOLLOW THE ACTION VISIT OUR DEDICATED EVENT PAGE Head to the home of the 2022 Gymnastics British Championships and you’ll be inundated with the very latest news.

Visit the website here You can watch the competition LIVE, with nine cameras available giving you access to watch any apparatus.

If you do happen to miss a routine, don’t worry. We’ll be publishing all of the medal winning routines from all age groups on the Championships’ home page too. We’ll have interviews with each of the new British champions as well as daily highlights packages too.

Here, you’ll also be able to take a look at our photo gallery which will be updated each day, as well as reading our daily reports on the action.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Join tens of thousands of people that follow us across our social media channels to keep up to date with the very latest from British Gymnastics.

Throughout the four days of competition, head to our Twitter account for live tweets and the latest news from the Championships, go to Instagram for routines and the best live clips and visit Facebook for routines, interviews and much more.

Following the competition we’ll also be uploading all of the medal winning routines to our YouTube channel too.

BG SCORE BG Score is the official scoring system of British Gymnastics, used at major gymnastics events and all British Championships. For live scores and rankings, download the BG Score app for free.

Use the app to watch live individual cameras, broadcasting instant video replays where available when logged in as a British Gymnastics member.

BG Score’s Twitter account will publish every score, as it happens, for every competitor.

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2021 SENIOR WOMEN’S ALL-AROUND CHAMPION

ONDINE ACHAMPONG

“IT FELT REALLY COOL TO BECOME THE SENIOR BRITISH CHAMPION.”

Ondine Achampong, who triumphed at Guildford Spectrum last year to become the new senior women’s British all-around champion, this year returns to the M&S Bank Arena, a place she has already enjoyed success.

Back in 2019, as a 15-year-old, Ondine won the junior British all-around title as well as winning gold medals on both the uneven bars and beam.

Since that time she has swapped clubs to work alongside Olympic medallists Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova at Aylesbury, made her senior international debut at the Melbourne World Cup and was crowned senior British champion.

“I’ve got some new tumbles which I’m hoping to compete in Liverpool, so people watching can look out for them. I’ve also been working on my vault a lot too.

“In terms of the apparatus that come more naturally to me, I’d probably say bars and beam, but beam and floor would be the two that I enjoy competing most. I think it’s because I get to perform more on those pieces.”

Ondine will be competing in subdivision two of the senior women’s competition on Saturday, where she’ll be defending her all-around title as well as looking to qualify for Sunday’s apparatus finals.

“It felt really cool to become the senior British champion. After a hard year of Olympic trials, just to have something to show for the work that had gone into it was great”, Ondine said.

“Being senior is very different though.

Although I turned senior in 2020, I’m still one of the youngest ones.

“In the gym training with them is different.

It’s very easy to keep looking at what everyone else is doing but I try to stay focussed on myself and what I need to do to keep improving.”

Those small improvements are what Ondine has been busy working on, ready for a busy 2022. The British Championships signify the start of a year that sees the Commonwealth Games and Artistic World Championships take place on home soil.

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JESSICA DAYKIN BIG GE S

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W0MEN’S APPARATUS Women’s artistic gymnastics remains one of the biggest crowd pleasers and most watched sports at the Olympic Games.

It’s fascination and popularity amongst girls of all ages lies in it’s ability to provide constant challenge and teach body control, coordination and courage.

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BEAM Perhaps the most precarious piece of apparatus for girls, the beam stands 1.25 metres from the floor, is five metres long and if that was not posing enough of a challenge, is only 10cm wide.

A beam routine is an exercise in precision with no room for error. The gymnast performs a combination of acrobatic elements, leaps, jumps, turns, steps, waves and balances.

These can be done standing, sitting or lying on the beam. It is a requirement that the gymnast uses the entire length of the beam, with routines ending in a dramatic dismount.

FLOOR EXERCISE The floor exercise allows the gymnast their moment in the spotlight and is considered by many to be the most expressive piece of women’s apparatus.

A floor routine, always accompanied by music, lasts between 1 minute 20 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds. The gymnast includes a combination of dance movements and sequences interspersed with a variety of tumbling and acrobatic elements. The whole floor area must be used in the routine with clear variances in mood, tempo and direction. Individuality, originality, and artistry of presentation are the key ingredients of a great routine.

UNEVEN BARS The low bar is set around 170cm in height and the high bar often around 250cm. The distance between the two bars is set at a maximum of 180cm.

Swinging and continuous movements are required on this apparatus. Routines typically include movements in both directions as well as above and below the bars. Elements with twists and somersaults with multiple grip changes and high flight often are awarded with the highest scores. Like the men’s horizontal bar, the wind up and dismount is often the most exciting part of the routine.

VAULT Gymnasts approach the vault from a 25 metre run, transferring their speed to the springboard and seeking a quick hand placement to the vaulting table (which is 10 cms lower than the men’s height). The gymnast then uses internal spring to launch themselves vertically for a combination of somersaults and twists. A good landing should be with no steps, at least 2 metres from the vaulting table and between the white lines to avoid deduction.

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2021 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

JOSHUA NATHAN Last year was a breakthrough year for Joshua Nathan from City of Birmingham.

As far as 12 months in the sport of gymnastics go, Joshua achieved a lot, and he’s targeting more in 2022, starting this weekend in Liverpool.

He competed at his first major championships as a senior gymnast, experienced trials for the Olympic Games, and he became British champion.

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“My aim for the Championships is to compete as well as I can. I’m aiming to do six clean routines and translate the work that I have been doing in the training gym on to the competition floor.

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“With a very exciting year ahead, I want to show the selectors what I am capable of through my performances and hopefully challenge to be selected for team events later on in the year.”

His performances in 2021 produced personal best scores and results. The achievement of becoming British all-around champion is one he was delighted with and the prospect of defending that title this weekend is something he’s excited by.

“I was really proud to become the British champion and have my name on the trophy which has previously been won by some of my idols.

hadn’t experienced before, and that has definitely helped my development as an athlete, especially for dealing with nerves and pressure. The European’s was also the first time I competed in the all-around against some of the best gymnasts in the world.

“I’ve developed a great hunger for that level of competition, and I really want to get back to the world stage.”

Watch Joshua compete during the senior men’s Saturday afternoon session where he’ll be looking to defend his all-around title and qualify for Sunday’s apparatus finals.

“I’m looking forward to competing in front of a big crowd. I’ll have my family supporting me which will feel very special, and I’ll also get the chance to compete in front of British spectators. It’s a brilliant opportunity for me to showcase my gymnastics.”

Despite achieving so much last year, it’s the experiences and the lessons learned that Joshua will be taking forward with him as he aims to replicate and improve on that success.

His major championship debut came at the European Championships in April and was followed later in the year by a first appearance at a World Championships. Those experiences have left him wanting to challenge himself even more.

“The emotions of competing at a major championship were something that I

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MEN’S APPARATUS You think other sports are tough?

Try being the master of six pieces of apparatus, each different to the next and requiring a combination of strength, mobility, endurance, flexibility, body control and coordination.

Men’s artistic gymnastics has something to keep everyone challenged!

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FLOOR EXERCISE The 12x12 metre sprung floor area allows the gymnast to reach incredible heights following a series of explosive and powerful acrobatic and tumbling skills.

A floor routine can include movements that demonstrate strength, flexibility and balance, combining somersaults, twists and hold elements. The whole floor area is used throughout the routine and often shows touches of personal expression and execution. An elite gymnast’s routine will typically last between 50 seconds and 1 minute 10 seconds.

VAULT Imagine charging 25 metres towards a 1.35 metre vaulting table, springing from the top and landing within a set of parallel lines on the other side. This is the task facing the gymnast wishing to master the vault.

The combination of a fast run and approach to the springboard, quick transition to the vaulting table and explosive take-off should see the gymnast catapult themselves sky high in preparation for a controlled landing. Multiple twists and rotations are seen in the air with gymnasts often approaching the vault in either a forward or backward direction.

POMMEL HORSE

PARALLEL BARS

Standing 1.15 metres from the floor, the pommel horse is one of the hardest pieces of men’s apparatus to master. It is unforgiving and has been known to buck many a gymnast. Great Britain has a proud tradition of fine pommel horse workers.

If you thought swinging and balancing on one bar was hard enough, try negotiating two.

The parallel bars stand 2.00 metres from the floor and ‘bend’ under the gymnast’s weight to provide for some complex combinations of skills seen both above and below the bars.

A good pommel horse routine will demonstrate smooth continuous circular and pendulum type swings, double leg circles and scissor movements. It is quite common to see gymnasts move up and down the length of the pommel horse and finish their routine by swinging through handstand after a series of spindles and quick hand placements.

Like the rings, the parallel bars require a combination of swinging movements with strength or hold elements.

Gymnasts often travel along the bars and typically bring the routine to a close with a daring dismount from the end or side of the bars involving multiple somersaults and twists.

RINGS To master the rings a gymnast needs incredible strength, balance and body tension.

Suspended 2.80 metres from the floor, there is little room for error.

Ring routines include a variety of movements demonstrating pure strength, support and balance. Gymnasts often perform a series of swings and holds with both forward and backward elements. The routine culminates in a wound-up swing followed by an acrobatic dismount containing multiple somersaults and twists.

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HORIZONTAL (HIGH) BAR Perhaps the most spectacular of the men’s apparatus, the horizontal bar stands 2.80 metres from the floor and sees the gymnast compete multiple swinging circles, daring release and catch elements and tightly wound-up dismounts.

Gymnasts perform continuous clean swinging movements and must not touch the bar with their body. Complex grip changes add variety and risk to routines.

Dismounts provide the most ‘heart in mouth’ moments of the horizontal bar routine as the gymnast catapults themselves well above and beyond the bar before negotiating a safe and controlled landing.

MICHELLE FLEMINGS

After a memorable 2021 where she was on the competition floor with the women’s artistic team that won bronze in Tokyo, we caught up with Michelle to find out how she first got involved in coaching and what she loves about it.

Michelle, what was it that first got you into coaching?

“I’d done gymnastics when I was about five years old but not for long. I then started again when I was 13 or 14. I was a competitive club level gymnast but unfortunately at 16 I had a bad injury and it was at that time I started coaching alongside rehab and training.

Michelle Flemings is the personal coach of British star Georgia-Mae Fenton and was recently named on UK Sport’s groundbreaking female coaches leadership programme.

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“My passion for gymnastics was so big and at that point my focus started to shift towards my coaching development. I also went to university and studied to become a physiotherapist which I practised for over |

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10 years in the NHS, private and The English Institute of Sport for, yes, you guessed it, gymnastics!

“I ensured I put in the work. I was committed and dedicated to educate myself to be able to coach at the elite level in gymnastics.

I also opened my own recreational gymnastics club in 2010 which is still running successfully now with an amazing team.”

What is it you love so much about coaching?

the women’s team with Josh, where they made history. I’m extremely grateful to the young ladies and their coaches that I got to share that part of their journey with them.

“There were many challenges that came with both of those achievements where I had to educate myself as a coach. I had to reflect and reach out to my mentor back home and my on the ground mentor in Tokyo to help me along the way. These achievements are never done solo, but it was quite an achievement from that young girl who did club level gymnastics in a sports hall gym.”

“There’s so many reasons. The opportunities it gives to work with such amazing athletes who share the same passion as me and the opportunities to travel to see and learn other cultures. The rewards you gain, and by that, I mean from teaching a recreational gymnast their first forward roll right up to sharing an experience with a gymnast achieving a travelling spot with the Olympic team.

What are your ambitions for the future?

“It has taught me so much; discipline, hard work, determination, leadership, communication, reflection and also the appreciation of parents and how tough their job actually is now that I’m one myself.

“I hope I can inspire others too who may not have been elite gymnasts themselves by show that hard work and determination can really help you reach for the stars and achieve your dreams.”

“I love seeing the adults the gymnasts become once they retire and knowing the huge part that gymnastics has played in their life.”

How pleased were you to be named on UK Sport’s female coaches leadership programme?

What’s your proudest moment as a coach to date and why?

“Assisting Georgia-Mae to become the travelling reserve for the Tokyo Olympic team. Then, at the last minute, personally being called up to travel to Tokyo and coach

“To keep evolving as a coach as the sport continues to evolve, to reach my full potential as a coach with the assistance and guidance from those around me, and to assist each athlete I coach to reach their full potential however that may look for them.

“I remember reading the email to say I had been selected and feeling so happy. I feel honoured to be alongside so many amazing female coaches all at the highest level in their sport. I am definitely looking forward to the education, personal growth and the opportunity for networking across different sports.”

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An exhilarating, fun packed programme, from the foundations of gymnastics to advanced skills.

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How well do you know artistic gymnastics?

We’ve got 10 questions for you to try. Good luck!

Who became the new senior women’s allaround champion in 2021?

Who became the new senior men’s all-around champion in 2021?

How many cm above the floor is the beam raised?

75cm b. 100cm c. 125cm d. 150cm a.

Where is the National Training Centre for British Gymnastics? a. London b. Liverpool c. Birmingham d. Lilleshall Can you name the two artistic events in which GBR won medals at the Olympic Games?

How many apparatus do senior men’s artistic gymnasts compete on?

Who is British Gymnastics’ Official Leotard Partner?

How long is the run up to the vault? a.a. 25m b. 30m c. 35m d. 40m How many apparatus do senior women’s artistic gymnasts compete on?

Name three more gymnastics disciplines other than artistic gymnastics.

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!

N O O S LE SA N O S T E K IC T

TRAMPOLINE TUMBLING & DMT BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS 1-2 OCTOBER 2022 UTILITA ARENA, BIRMINGHAM

Did you know that you could help transform the lives of those most in need?

Whether it’s bringing joy to a community or special school, helping a gymnast in a time of crisis, or making a real difference to the lives of people living with dementia, the British Gymnastics Foundation is passionate about using gymnastics to make a positive impact across the UK.

How you can get involved: • Train to become a Love to Move deliverer, to make a huge difference to people living with dementia.

“After losing her mum so suddenly, Libby had something (gymnastics) to look forward to and enjoy.

It’s united us as a family” Libby’s dad Inspirational Grant recipient

• Plan fun fundraising activities in your club or community • Support your gymnasts to gain access to hardship grants, helping them to stay in our sport • Become a donor to help us continue to transform lives through gymnastics

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EMILY PARRETT At the 2021 Disability British Championships, Emily Parrett, competing in the Competition A Class 1, produced a string of fine routines to become British champion for the first time.

2021 BRITISH ALL-AROUND CHAMPION

COMPETITION A CLASS 1 WOMEN’S

“I LOVE THE MIX OF POWER AND PRECISION”

“STRUT YOUR STUFF”

How much are you looking forward to getting back out on the competition floor in Liverpool?

Emily returns this week for the Women’s Disability Masters. We caught up with her to find out why she first got involved in gymnastics, what it meant to become British champion and which apparatus she loves to compete on most.

Emily, firstly, how long have you been doing gymnastics?

“I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was about six and my first proper competition was when I was eight. That’s over 15 years now!”

What was it that first attracted you to the sport?

“I think I started gymnastics just to try something new as I loved running about and getting moving. From my first ever lesson, I instantly fell in love with the sport, and I’ve never looked back.

“I love the mix of power and precision.

You’ve got to be brave enough to try new skills but you also need lots of focus to learn the correct technique.”

What did it mean to you to become British champion last year?

“Becoming British champion was truly a lifechanging moment. I’d worked so hard for that competition, and for all the competitions leading up to it, so it was incredible to stand up on the podium and see all that effort pay off. Plus, the medals are really shiny, but that’s just an extra bonus!”

“I’m so excited to compete at the Masters, as it’s probably the biggest competition I’ve ever done. It’s incredible that I’ll get to share an arena with some of the amazing gymnasts that are rocking the world stage at the moment.

“I also can’t wait to come back to such a friendly atmosphere. Everyone I’ve met at the Disability British Championships has been so lovely, so I can’t wait to see them again.”

For anyone that hasn’t seen you compete before, what’s your favourite apparatus and why?

“That’s such a tough question to answer!

I think every piece is fun to compete for different reasons, but I do love beam and floor. The dance routines give you a real opportunity to strut your stuff and show off your individual style.”

What are your plans for the rest of 2022?

“I’m looking forward to joining together with some of the other fantastic gymnasts in my club, to compete in one of the team competitions later in the year. Then after that it’s back round to the British Championships where I hope to defend my title! My coach and I have worked very hard to add new skills to my routines, and I’m excited to show them off later in the year.”

Emily will be in action on Thursday as she aims to medal in the Women’s Disability Masters.

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HELPING COMMUNITIES

thrive

What is Club Capital?

• A social impact investment fund focused specifically on gymnastics.

• A partnership between British Gymnastics and Sporting Assets.

How does it work?

• A £10m fund offering unsecured loans of between £25,000 to £250,000 (up to £750,000 in exceptional circumstances) to British Gymnastics registered clubs.* * clubs must meet the eligibility criteria

• Enabling clubs to move into new, or expand existing, dedicated gymnastics facilities.

In summary An investment fund providing simple, affordable, flexible loans to eligible gymnastics clubs to support facility projects.

Find out how Club Capital can help your club achieve amazing things

clubcapital.co.uk A partnership between

WELFARE SUPPORT British Gymnastics are committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk in our sport and our aim is to ensure all who participate in gymnastics have a safe, fun, positive experience and are able to fulfil their potential.

We ensure that safeguarding is prioritised and our members and registered clubs meet specific requirements to safeguard and protect. All our registered clubs, regions and gymnastics events are required to have a nominated Welfare Officer to be responsible for:

Responding to child protection and poor practice concerns.

Providing support and advice regarding procedures that safeguard and promote the welfare of participants.

Assist the club to be more focused in its activities e.g. involving children, young people and adults at risk in decision making processes.

Details of British Gymnastics’ Welfare Officer Network and further information can be found via our dedicated Safeguarding & Compliance by clicking the button below; Safeguarding & Compliance Alternatively, you may wish to report or discuss any safeguarding concerns with our Safeguarding & Compliance team by emailing; safeguarding@british-gymnastics.org

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A few weeks before the British Championships, we caught up with Olympic medallist Alice Kinsella for a quick Q&A on her Olympic experience, what we might see from her this weekend in Liverpool and her goals for 2022.

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L I C E K I N S E L L A

As well as an incredible bronze medal, what did you take away from the Olympic experience?

“The environment we were in, the village, the whole experience. It’s something that I’ll never, ever forget. The experience of competing in Tokyo has made me more motivated than ever.

I’ll be doing everything I can to experience that again at the next Games in Paris.”

How important is it for you to start off 2022 well in Liverpool?

“It’ll be good to start the year off well. We haven’t had a British in Liverpool for a few years now so it’ll be very exciting to be there again, and the crowd being there will make a big difference. I’m really looking forward to it.”

What can the crowd expect to see from you this weekend?

“I’ve been working on a few things in the gym so I guess you’ll just have to wait and see...”

What are your aims for the rest of 2022?

“After the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which was one of the best competitions I’ve been to, I really want to try and experience that again, so that’s a real goal for me. And then obviously the World Championships back in Liverpool.

With both events in England, with a home crowd, I’d love to compete at both.”

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“The experience of competing in Tokyo has made me more motivated than ever ”

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Get into volunteering Do something amazing with your time!

What is volunteering?

“Volunteering has helped me create friends and memories which will last a lifetime”

Volunteering is about giving your time willingly to benefit the environment, individuals or clubs without being paid.

Jess, volunteer

Volunteering has many different names – whether it’s a specific role (captain, treasurer etc), or the generic term of helper. The language isn’t important though, it’s what you do with your time that counts!

Don’t have the time?

Volunteering is all about being flexible, and making it work for you. Whatever time you have to contribute is great – you can get involved so that it works around your busy schedule.

We would like to thank: Lindsey Wharton Alex Woolliscroft Megan Sewell

Danielle Hoyle Danni Gully Kim Inott Steven Aird Maria Gaynor

Mason Monger Stacey Cowell Hannah Boaler Jess Berry Keeley Regan Sophie Badham Lucy Berry Tallulah Smith

Hannah Thomas Finn Connelly Thomas Pythian Toni Connelly Fay Hardcastle Sarah Jeffrey Anya Ramsdale Abi Mahwood Hannah McCabe

Quiz answers 1. Ondine Achampong 2. Joshua Nathan 3. 125cm 4. Lilleshall, Shropshire 5.

Women’s team final and Max Whitlock OBE in the men’s pommel horse final 6. 6 7. Milano Pro Sport 8. 35 metres 9. 4 10. Any three from Acrobatic Gymnastics, Aerobic Gymnastics, Disability Gymnastics, Double Mini Trampoline, GymFusion, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Tumbling

Would like to thank all of our partners for their continued support

EVENT THANKS MEN’S JUDGES Adam Scott Alex Leidlmair Alex Row Andrew Crawford Andrew Mackie Andrew Webb Anne Pearcey Beverly James Bradley Smith Byron Clithero Caitlin Ross Chris Jones Craig Woodhams Dominic Siddall Duncan Runcie Gabriel Hannah Gemma Wright Graham O’Sullivan Harry Carter Hazel Fern Howard Lockett Ian Greenhill Jan Davies Jaron Morgan Jeff Davis John Elgy Joshua Champion Julie Marsh Kathi-Sue Rupp Kay Ross Keith Brewer Lorenzo Ribecca Mark Pennell Matthew Dwornik Nathan Comber Paul Edwards Paul Newton Rachel James Simon Elliott Simon Moore Stephen Davison Tommy McGill

WOMEN’S JUDGES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Amanda Keating Andrea Cook Brendene Hardy Carol Malone Catherine Lethbridge Claire Maunder Dan York-Smith Debbie Baker Debbie Morgan Denise Woolf Donna Crowther Elizabeth Lewis Glynis Tovey Hazel Walsh Jenni Harris Julie Edwards Karen Chapman Karen Edwards Karen Whelan Katherine Boden Katrina Harper Katharine Woods Kelly Milnes Kirsty Burt Lisa Rose Pauline Smith Rebecca Williams Sadie Herbert Samantha Paddock Sarah Twose Sharon Welch Sinead Lyons Siobhan Divers Stacey Saltwell Vicky Speight

Chair - Mike Darcey President - Helen Phillips MBE

OFFICIALS Lisa Gannon - Announcer Dave Payne - Announcer Louise Roberts, Carys Rowlands, Erica Bayliss and Danielle Crowe Floor Managers Amy Nixon - Warm Up Hall Manager Chris Hughes - Warm Up Hall Manager Michelle Oakes - Ceremonies Manager BG Score Team - Official Score Novum - Events Presentation BG Medical Team We#StandWithUkraine | 41

Chief Executive Officer - Sarah Powell

Executive Directors Gareth Harvey Ryan Fulford

Non-Executive Directors Adam Pengilly Alastair Marks Helen Phillips MBE Howard Marsh Mike Darcey Joanna Madyarchyk Tracey Singlehurst-Ward Gary Tolometti

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Men’s artistic James May - Chair Mike Weinstock - National Competition Organiser Nikki Hanley - National Judging Coordinator Alex Row - Disability Representative

Women’s artistic Maria McLoughlin - Chair Christine Paddock - National Competition Organiser Sue Tredgold - National Judging Co-ordinator Catherine Lethbridge - Disability Representative

SPECIAL THANKS M&S Bank Arena Liverpool City Council HPL Gymnastics British Gymnastics Volunteers

HEALTH & SAFETY AT M&S BANK ARENA British Gymnastics draws your attention to the following Health & Safety announcement.

Please take a moment to locate the fire exit nearest to where you are sitting. In an emergency, listen to the evacuation announcement and follow the instructions of the stewards.

It is important to ensure that gangways and stairwells remain clear at all times. Your personal belongings should be kept with you at all times. If baggage is found unattended it will be removed and may be destroyed.

In the interests of child protection, photographs and videos may only be taken during today’s event in accordance with conditions set by British Gymnastics. Photos may only be taken for personal use.

The use of flash or supplementary lighting is not permitted whilst gymnasts are warming up or competing. Please make sure that your flash is turned off each time you use your camera. Video cameras may only be used if operating from battery. Also, the use of tripods in the seating and walkways is forbidden.

Please note there may be strobe lighting, fog effects and loud noises during these Championships.

Finally, please remember that the arena is strictly a no smoking zone and that all mobile phones should either be switched off or placed in silent mode. We appreciate your cooperation in these matters and thank you for your attention.

NOTICE OF FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY Filming and photography will take place at this event. British Gymnastics will be taking photographs and filming for promotional and educational purposes. Footage and images may appear on our website and social media channels, as well as in publications such as our newsletters, membership packs, marketing and education materials. Footage and images may also be circulated to media organisations for publication and broadcast, provided to our sponsors and suppliers to promote their association with British Gymnastics, and provided to our delivery and event partners for promotional purposes. A list of partners can be found at www.british-gymnastics.org/partners.

Media and selected publishers may also be present to capture their own photography and footage for the purpose of sports journalism and programmes. This may also include broadcast on television or online.

Selected commercial photo providers are accredited at British Gymnastics events to take photographs of those performing or competing as a service to spectators wishing to buy images. Official photo providers can be found at www.british-gymnastics.org/partners.

We respect your right to object. If you have any concerns, please contact the accreditation/ event desk and speak to a member of British Gymnastics staff.

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