Gymnast Elizabeth's a golden girl
At 20-years-old, Elizabeth Cooper is already living the dream of becoming an award-winning gymnast.
The athlete from Market Drayton, who has Downs Syndrome, jumped at the chance of taking up a place with Team GB and has just returned home from the disability rhythmic gymnastics at the World Special Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The event was a huge success and Elizabeth has come home with two gold medals, a silver and an all-round bronze medal.
She said: "It was fab. It was really brilliant and I'm so pleased I took part."
Elizabeth trains at the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts based in Crewe, and has been competing for the last eight years.
People around the town carried out fundraisers to help her costs for the trip which included coaching and supervision costs.
Elizabeth's mother Ros Cooper said she was delighted to see how well her daughter had done.
She said: "I am just stunned at what she has been able to achieve.
"Even going on a plane to Los Angeles which is something she has never done anything like before.
"The academy is such a fantastic nurturing place for her and she just loves to perform in the competitions.
"She isn't going there thinking about how to get points, she loves to perform in front of everyone and she is so good at it."
Academy co-founder Iain Chalmers said: "Her florid bows at the end of her routines and her sheer joy were infectious and she became a real talking point with the audience who made a point to see her perform – she even high-fived the judges."
