St Winefride's School jumping for joy with gym success
St Winefride's School were jumping for joy after their gymnasts produced a series of stunning displays at three prestigious competitions.
The Shrewsbury-based school were in dominant form in the Midlands Independent Schools Association Gymnastics Championships, the National ISA Championships and the National ISGA 4-Piece Championships as they returned home with an impressive haul of silveware.
Harry Oliver topped the individual charts as he struck gold in the under-9 category in all three championships.
He started his gold rush at the Midlands Championships at Adcote School where Ben Rowley (under-11 boys) and Lucy Hopkins (under-7 girls) were also crowned champions.
Ceci Farmer claimed a third-placed finish in the under-9 girls while Ondina Pacult and Grace Say made it a St Winefride's one-two-three in the under-7s girls category to seal team gold.
The under-9s boys also topped the podium, a feat they also achieved at the National Championships, which were also staged at Adcote.
Oliver was the top of his age group with team-mates Alexander Weilds, Alex Robinson and Oliver Myatt-Franklin following in second, third and fourth respectively.
Rowley also struck individual gold and team gold in the under-11 event. Sam Shorrock finished as runner-up to Rowley.
The girls were also among the medals with the under-11s claiming silver and the under-9s bagging bronze.
Oliver completed his unbeaten clean sweep in the 4-Piece Championships in Cambridge where Abi Mangham (under-11 girls) also took individual gold.
Rowley picked up another individual medal with a silver while the under-11 and under-9 boys were third and the the under-9 girls second.
The aim for coach Paula Curtis is to add further chapters to a growing story of success. Gymnastics is part of the curriculum at St Winefride's and the school are rightly proud of the pupils' achievements. "We start them at kindergarten age and they continue up until they leave at 11," said Curtis. "It is part of the curriculum.
"We have had some fantastic success in the last few competitions and the school is very proud of the pupils, they have done very well. And one of our pupils Harry Oliver won all of the three titles he contested.
"Last year we also had success in the same championships and the challenge now is to try to do that next year. but it's difficult when you only have 170 pupils in the whole school."
