Success for Penarth Gymnastics Club members! (From Penarth Times)

Success for Penarth Gymnastics Club members!

7:40am Thursday 3rd June 2010 in Sport

THE beginning of each summer term is eagerly awaited by the children of Penarth Gym Club.

This is when those members who have disabilities get their chance to shine and hopefully win trophies and medals in reward for their many hours of hard training.

Eight competitions, generously sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wales, are staged throughout the Principality.

It is open to school children with physical, sensory and/or learning difficulties with a programme of work appropriate for school participation.

The artistic disciplines are on four difficulty levels and a choice of 2 phases for the rhythmic gymnasts.

The children who train at the Penarth Pier Pavilion did exceptionally well as the following results show.

In the Gwent, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan round for Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics, Poppy Parfitt was awarded 1st place in the Hoop, and 2nd for her Ball work.

Her club mate Lauren Burns earned 1st place for her Ball and 2nd for Hoop. The girls tied for a 1st with their Ribbon routines.

In the primary level A Artistic events, diminutive Molly O'Brien gained a staggering 1st on Bench, Floor and Vault, whilst little Joseph DeRidder gained 2nd place on Vault and Bench and 3rd on Floor.

For the Junior A section, Emily Williams was 3rd on Vault and Katie Williams took 2nd place on Bench.

Jak Carey took an amazing 1st on all pieces in the Junior B contest whilst Callum Murray achieved 2 firsts and a 3rd in the junior C events.

In Senior A competition Dafydd Williams strutted off with three 1st places, Natasha Reynolds earned three 2nds and Jack Smith proudly accepted three 3rd places.

All these youngsters went through to the finals at the Welsh Institute of Sport, Cardiff.

Events were now tougher with the best of Wales present.

Sadly illness prevented Molly and Joseph taking part but Lauren Burns' smile lit up the huge hall when she took the all-Wales title for her Ribbon routine and 3rd on Ball, whilst Poppy was just a point behind with her proudly received 2nd place Ribbon trophy.

Callum took two 2nds for Vault and Floor. Emily was delighted with her 3rd place on Vault whilst Jak vaulted onto the winner's podium.

The attendant coaches were the staff of Penarth Gym Club but it is hoped that the schools that these children attend will soon get involved with the Rotary and enable even more children to reap the considerable benefits of participating in the sport of gymnastics.