Grace Wardley and Ellie Cornforth are now ranked number one and two in the country respectively after Ipswich’s Pipers Vale Gymnastics Club enjoyed another successful year at the British Age Group Championships at Guildford Spectrum in Surrey.
This competition is the pinnacle of the year for gymnasts aged nine to 11 and showcases those are aspiring to compete at an elite level.
Grace, competing at Level Four (age nine), achieved the bonus score for vault and, despite some wobbles in her warm up, produced an impressive bar when it counted to be ranked third on this event.
A confident and precise beam routine was followed by a beautiful and engaging floor routine.
Overall she placed fourth on the day which, added to her combined rankings for the year, meant she was named British champion.
Ellie competed a beautiful bar routine which was ranked second in the country and powerful vault which was ranked fifth.
Despite some errors in her warm up, she showed real determination to compete a solid beam routine and finished her competition with an exceptional expressive floor routine which was ranked seventh.
Overall, she claimed the bronze medal on the day and is now ranked second in Great Britain.
Pipers Vale had five gymnasts competing over the weekend, which is impressive in itself and shows the club’s strength in depth.
Mya Patel and Ruby Keeley competed in the Level Two section (age 11), while Gala Fraser-Lim joined Grace and Ellie in Level Four.
All three gymnasts from Pipers Vale qualified as part of the East Region’s Level Four team and they proved unstoppable to claim the gold medal and boost their national rankings.
In the Level Two competition, Mya finished in a credible 23rd with a combined national ranking of 20th. A fall on the beam kept her score down, but there was an upgraded bar routine and impressive floor with sky high tumbles.
Ruby, who has made significant progress, competed newly upgraded routines, the highlight of which was a graceful and elegant floor. She placed an impressive 18th for a combined national ranking of 23rd.
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