GYMNASTICS: A trio of boys from Ipswich's Pipers Vale Gymnastics Club have earned themselves a place at next weekend's national finals.The three – Harry Clark, Lloyd Clarke and Robert Banthorpe – were in action when the Ipswich Gymnastics Facility hosted the Boys National Development Plan Grades Competition.

GYMNASTICS

A TRIO of boys from Ipswich's Pipers Vale Gymnastics Club have earned themselves a place at next weekend's national finals.

The three – Harry Clark, Lloyd Clarke and Robert Banthorpe – were in action when the Ipswich Gymnastics Facility hosted the Boys National Development Plan Grades Competition.

The event is a qualifier for the national finals and the Pipers Vale trio were all successful in qualifying to represent the Eastern region.

Harry was competing at Primary 4 level, while Lloyd and Robert took part at Primary 3 level and Primary 2 level respectively.

Harry demonstrated an excellent attitude in his first regional competition. He went round the seven pieces of apparatus, making only minor mistakes and coming out with a total score of 60.50 out of 70 which earned him the bronze medal.

Lloyd had probably the hardest task competing against national squad members in his group.

Again Lloyd made steady progress over six pieces but two mistakes on parallel bars put him into a creditable fourth spot – just missing out on the bronze medal.

Robert Banthorpe again competed extremely well, beating off some very good opposition to take second place and the silver medal.

"This is a fantastic result for the boys section," said Pipers Vale head boys coach Andrew Crawford.

"All of the boys had to move up a section this year and have risen to the challenge brilliantly. Their hard work has really paid off."