Press Releases
2011 |
EAST AREA NOVICE - NOVEMBER |
|
|
We set off bright eyed and bushy tailed to yet another early start today !
“ The girls had been looking forward to this 4 piece competition which incorporated Vault, Beam, A-Bars and their favourite piece Floor routine to music. In the 8/9 yrs section, the team consisting of Heather Dent, Lauren Heal, Rosie Wilson and Jessica Ham, took the Overall Team Silver, with 8yr old Heather winning 5th place Ribbons for Bars and Floor, and winning Individual Overall Bronze Medal. Lauren won herself a Bronze Medal on Vault, and taking second place on Vault was fellow gymnast Tia winning Silver. 8yr old Rachel Williams, not to be left out, won herself a Silver Medal on Bars with a good score of 12.2. In the next stage of the competition, the 12/13 yr old Team Silver Medals went to Elisha Burke, Jade Bingham, Isabel Powell and Amber Cape . Elisha also took Silver on Beam, and 5th place Ribbon on Floor. Amy Turner, Paige Baker and Ashleigh Gaudian, also took part in the competition and put on a very good performance on all pieces
|
WELSH TUMBLING CHAMPIONSHIPS - OCTOBER |
 |
|
| Kestrels soared at the Welsh Tumbling Championships held in Haverfordwest. Gymnasts aged from 8 yrs to 15 yrs took home 26 medals between them. The morning’s competition started off with the Improvers Section where 8 yr olds Heather Dent, Rosie Wilson with Evan Kennedy won Team Silver, and Evan also won Gold in the Boys’ Section. 9 yr old Henry Burke won Silver in his age group followed by the 11/12yr section where Owen Badham won Silver, and together with Isabel Powell, Amber Cape and Bethany Melling, won Team Bronze. 13 yr old Elisha Burke went on to win Silver. Competing in the 9/10 yrs Novice section were Clare John, Ebony Stinton, Rachel Williams and Amy Turner who won Team Silver, with Rachel taking Individual Bronze and Amy becoming Champion taking Gold. 11 yr old Thomas Jenkins won Silver in his section. To keep up the momentum in the afternoon’s 11/12 yrs Intermediate Competition, Holly Wilson, Sam Dallimore, Rebecca Ham, and Emily Akers took Team Silver, with Sam winning Individual Bronze and Cameron Maggs Individual Silver. Finally to finish the day in the 15 yrs+ age group, Emma Rickards won Bronze and Ben Lloyd became Champion in the boys’ section taking Gold. Although it was a long day the gymnasts had a fantastic competition and should feel very proud |
| |
KAREN RECLAIMS HER CROWN AS BRITISH CHAMPION! |
|
After an early start to Leicester to take part in the British Veterans Gymnastics Championships, Karen Forbes returned to Kestrel Gymnastics Club as British Champion in the 50+ Category. Karen started off with a good Vault followed by routines on A-Bars and Beam, and finished her competition with a very graceful Floor routine and excellent tumbles. Coach Shirley Lazère-Bennett added that Karen was determined to come back with Gold this year after taking Silver last year, and it was fantastic for her to achieve her goal |
KESTRELS ARE BACK!! |
|
|
| The competition season started extremely well for Kestrel gymnasts. In the Age 12/13 yrs of the East Area Intermediate Championships, Rebecca Ham won Silver on Vault, Emily Akers won Bronze on Floor, and Holly Wilson won Bronze on Beam, and together they won Overall Team Bronze. In the afternoon fellow gymnasts had to keep up the pace and in the Age 10/11 yrs Intermediate competition, Bethany Melling won Bronze medals on Beam and Vault, but in the Levels Section, 6 yr old Carys-Anne Cook was out to win as many medals as she could by winning Bronze on Vault, Bronze on Bars, Bronze on Range & Conditioning and coming third overall winning herself another Bronze medal. A very good start after the Summer break. |
GYMEISTEDDFOD 2011 - WIS CARDIFF |
|
| Kestrel Gymnasts took part in the 2011 Gym Eisteddfod held in Cardiff , a festival of gymnastics with participants from as far as Scotland . The gymnasts gave a 12 minute presentation of Pinocchio with a combination of dance and gymnastics to a packed audience. Kestrels were awarded “Best Costume” Trophy. The gymnasts aged from 5 yrs onwards enjoyed dressing up, and put on a great performance without the pressure of competition |
WELSH AGILITY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011 |
|
| Kestrel gymnasts were on top form at the Welsh Tumbling Novice Agility Championship held at Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff . In the 8yr section of Level 2 Heather Dent took Gold with a total score of 25.10 and Evan Kennedy scoring 23.33 taking Gold in the boys’ section. 9 yr old Henry Burke followed suite in the 9/10 yrs section winning a Silver medal. In the 11/12 yrs Level 3 Isabel Powell had an excellent competition winning Gold with a score of 25.28, and in the boys’ section Owen Badham won Gold followed by team mate Thomas Jenkins taking Silver. Owen, Thomas together with Paige Baker and Ashleigh Gaudian took Team Bronze. In the 13/14 yrs section Jade Bingham won Bronze and in the boy’s section Sam Dallimore won Gold scoring 24.93 |
EAST AREA 5, 6 & 7s |
|
| For the 5 yr olds this was their first ever competition, amongst 70 other gymnasts from the Region ranging from 5 to 7 yrs. 5 yr old Jessica Ward did wonderfully well out there on her own in front of a large audience winning a Bronze Medal on Vault and together with Twins Gemma & Holly took Team SILVER. In the 5 yr Boys Group, Joseph Dunster had an excellent competition winning on Tumble & Vault, and making it 3 Golds by becoming Overall Champion as well. In the 6 yr competition the Boys kept up the pace with William Dent winning Gold on Vault, Silver on Tumble and Overall Gold, Gwilym Muir taking Bronze on Vault and Tumble and Overall Bronze, and together with Zac Johnson they won Team Gold. The 7 yr Girls Team Bronze was won by Carys Edwards, Zoe Foster and Carys-Anne Cook who also won Bronze on Vault, Silver on Tumble and Overall Bronze. Altogether they came away with 22 medals between, and were all proud to receive their certificates. A fantastic result on their first competition this year |
WELSH SPECIAL SCHOOLS AREA FINALS 14 APR 11 |
|
7 yr old gymnast at Kestrels, Amirah Peckham, had a wonderful day at the Welsh Rotary Special Schools Area Finals held in Cardiff. Amirah who attends The Dell Primary has Cerebral Palsy, and enjoyed every minute of the competition being placed 3rd on Floor, Vault & Bench. She will now be aiming to take part in the Welsh Disability Championship towards the end of the year |
KESTREL BOYS GET OFF TO A FLYING START!! |
|
An early morning start to Swansea to compete in the Welsh NDP Championship was very fruitful for 4 Kestrel gymnasts. The boys were performing set routines on all six pieces of apparatus. 8 yr old Henry Burke had an excellent competition achieving a high score of 9.2 on Parallel Bars winning overall Gold and becoming Welsh Champion, followed by Isaac Pole winning Silver in Level 1. Evan Kennedy followed suite by winning Gold in the OOA Level 1 section. 12 yr old Sam Dallimore took the Gold medal in Level 5, and 11 yr olds Cameron Maggs and Ioan Edwards took part in Level 4 |
OUR VERY OWN CHAMPION!! |
|
AMIRAH SHINES IN FIRST EVER COMPETITION!! |
|
7 yr old Amirah Peckham a pupil of the Dell Primary School in Chepstow who has Cerebral Palsy has been training at Kestrel Gymnastics Club for 2 years and took part in the Welsh Gymnastics Competition - The Rotary Clubs of Wales National Championships for School Children with Special Needs held in Abergavenny. Although this was Amirah's first competition amongst approx. 100 children from Primary to Secondary Schools, she absolutely shone on the day taking Gold on Floor, Bench & Vault in her section. She will now be taking part in the National Finals for the South in April at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff |
KESTRELS SENIORS MAKE THE GRADE! |
|
The more senior gymnasts in turn had great success with their Grades passes in Swansea in March. 15 yr old Emma Rickards achieved Grade 7 being the higher level, Emily Akers Grade 10, Carrie Jobson, Hannah Guest, Bethany Melling and Rebecca Ham Grade 11, Elisha Burke and Isobel Powell Grade 12. So it's smiles all round
|
KESTRELS HELP EAST WALES TO WELSH GOLD AT SCHOOLS FINAL! |
|
Members of Kestrel Gymnastics Club took part in the Welsh Schools Tumble & Vault Championships held at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff. The 13 gymnasts were part of the East Area Team who attend various local Primary Schools such as The Dell, St. Mary's RC, Offas Mead, Shirenewton, and also Comprehensive Schools - Ysgol Gyfun Gwymllym, Caldicot, Caerleon. Ben Lloyd of Caldicot Comp, Ioan Edwards of Ysgol Gyfun Gwymllym, and James Thomas were presented with their "Feathers" for qualifying for the British Finals last year. Ioan Edwards won Individual Gold, and together with Sam Dallimore, Cameron Maggs & Owen Badham were part of U13 Team winning Gold. James Thomas won Individual Bronze in the U19, and forming part of the U19 Team with Ben Lloyd, also won Team Gold. As the East Region were the Champions, all gymnasts came out with a Gold medal.
|
KESTRELS ARE BACK IN ACTION! |
|
|
| A good start to the year for 6 young Kestrel gymnasts aged from 7-9 yrs who all passed their Grades at the East Area competition in February . Rosie Wilson did Grade 14 together with 8 yr old Heather Dent who gained a Distinction for her excellent performance with a score of 12.20 on A-Bars and 12.05 on Vault. In the afternoon competition it was the turn of Jessica Ham, Lauren Heal, Eva Cliff and Amy Turner to be rewarded for their hard work with a Pass in Grade 13, all achieving scores of 11.00 and above on some apparatus. I’m very proud of them, they have worked extremely hard for their Grades, said their Coach Shirley Lazère-Bennett |
| |
2010 |
YOUNGEST SQUAD GYMNASTS ACHIEVE FANTASTIC MEDAL HAUL!! |
|
Although it was a freezing cold morning, three Kestrels 6 yr olds set off to Merthyr Tydfil for their first full apparatus competition.
Carys-Anne Cook won Gold on A-Bars scoring 11.5, Silver in Tumble, and together with Cerys Phillips tying for 3rd place taking Bronze on Beam with a score of 12.2. Cerys also performed excellently in
Range & Conditioning taking Gold. Carys Edwards won Bronze on A-Bars scoring 10.7. The three little gymnasts then went on to take Team Gold, with Carys-Anne having a superb competition also taking
Overall Silver. Fantastic Results for the girls winning10 medals between them to end the competition year said their Coach Jessica Burchill |
GYMNASTS PLAY THEIR PART IN INTER-AREA CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS! |
|
7 Kestrels gymnasts formed part of the East Area Team who took part in the Welsh Gymnastics Inter-Area 2010 Competition held in Deeside which covered all areas of Gymnastics. 11 Yr old Emily Akers formed part of the Tumbling Team, Rebecca Ham, also 11 yrs formed part of the Artistic Team competing on Beam and Vault. The boys Artistic section was represented by 12 yr old Sam Dallimore and 11 yr olds Ioan Edwards and Cameron Maggs who performed on Floor and Mushroom. Whilst 8 yr olds Isaac Pole and Henry Burke had a good competition in NDP Level 1. This was Henry's first competition on Mushroom and completing 6 continuous circles was quite an achievement for him, thus taking Overall Bronze. Isaac was presented with a Pudsey Bear as the gymnast who made a good impression throughout the competition
The Area Team was won by the East and the gymnasts were each presented with a plaque.
L to R Back Row
Emily Akers - Rebecca Ham - Sam Dallimore - Cameron Maggs
Henry Burke - Ioan Edwards - Isaac Pole
|
INDIVIDUAL APPARATUS CHAMPIONSHIPS - NOVEMBER |
Although the competition year is almost at an end, Kestrels are still training hard. On her 15th birthday Emma Rickards took part in the East Area Individual Championships winning Gold on Bars, Silver on Beam and Bronze on Floor. This being their first Individual Championship, 11 yr olds Emily Akers worn Bronze on Floor, and Rebecca Ham took the Bronze Medal on Vault in their age group, and both girls will be representing East Wales in the Inter-Area Championship in Deeside in a week’s time. |
|
GREAT ACHIEVEMENT AT WELSH NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIPS! |
A very happy outcome and great achievement for Bethany Melling and Rebecca Ham who were amongst the 100+ competitors in the 10/11 yrs section of the Welsh Gymnastics Novice Championships held in Cardiff on the 17th October, in the hope of being ranked in the top 6 Novice gymnasts in Wales.
Both girls performed very steady confident Beam routines with Rebecca taking Fifth place in the 11 yrs section with a score of 10.40, and Bethany taking Second place with a score of 10.35 in the 10 yrs section and also took Third place on Vault with a score of 11.15.
Well done girls.
|
|
KESTREL'S BRING BACK SUCCESS FROM WELSH TUMBLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HAVERFORDWEST!! |
|
|
Kestrel Gymnasts had a fantastic day winning a total of 29 medals at the Welsh Tumbling Championships at Haverfordwest on 10th Oct. The boys joined the girls in teams and individual competitions, most competing at a higher level than they had previously done. The 8 yr olds had an excellent competition in their first ever Tumbling Championship with Eva Cliff winning the Bronze medal, Amy Turner taking Silver in the Novice Section, and together with Jessica Ham and Lauren Heal they took Team Gold, and not to be left out, 8yr old Henry Burke won the Gold medal in the boys’ section.
The Boys had a clean sweep in the 10-11 yrs Novice Section with Tomas Jenkins winning the Gold Medal, Bryn Muir won Silver Medal and Owen Badham the Bronze Medal. Bethany Melling won Silver Medal in the girls section, and with team mates Ffion Johnson, Bryn and Thomas they won the Team Silver Medals.
In the Boys 10-11 yrs Improvers Section, Sam Dallimore won the Silver Medal, and together with Elisha Burke, Isabel Powell and Rebecca the team took Team Gold.
In the 10-11 Intermediate Section, Emily Akers excelled herself by performing very high somersaults thus becoming Welsh Champion, and together with Phoebe Bradshaw, Ioan Edwards and Cameron Maggs winning Team Gold Medals.
In the Intermediate Boys’ Section Cameron Maggs won Silver Medal followed by Ioan Edwards who took the Bronze Medal. Not to be left out, Ben Lloyd won the Gold Medal in the 13-14 yrs Section.
A good competition was had by Emma Rickards in the 15 yrs+ Intermediate Section as she took the Silver Medal. |
WEEKEND OF SUCCESS FOR TEAM KESTREL! |
|
|
|
Great weekend (2-3 Oct) for Kestrel Gymnasts. It was along journey to Lowestoft on Saturday for Karen Forbes to take part in her first British Veterans Championship, but it proved worthwhile as Karen, a former Commonwealth gymnast in the early years of her gymnastic career, took the overall Silver Medal in her section competing on Vault, A-Bars, Beam & Floor.
The following day there was more success as the younger girls took part in the East Area Novice Championship. Elisha Burke, Carrie Jobson & Hannah Guest took Bronze Team Medals in the 12-13yrs Section.
In the 10-11 yrs section Bethany Melling performed a very elegant Beam routine winning Gold, and also Silver on A-Bars and Bronze on Vault, and her very good performance made her Overall Champion adding another Gold to her collection. Bethany together with team mates Amber Cape and Isabel Powell won Team Bronze Medals.
10 yr old Paige Baker, who was competing as an individual won a Bronze Medal on A-Bars on a very flowing performance.
I am very pleased with the success the gymnasts are having as they have put a lot of hard work in their training and deserve many congratulations - Head Coach Shirley Lazere-Bennett. |
EAST AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS |
|
|
Golden girls excel in area championships - September 2010
Emma Rickards, 15, performed her new floor routine, impressing the judges who awarded her the gold medal.
The talented teenager followed up with silver on the vault and assymetrical bars, bronze on the beam and silver in the individual event. Clubmates Emily Akers, Phoebe Bradshaw and Rebecca Ham also medalled.
Phoebe won the A-bars - with a score of 11.55 - and floor competitions, taking bronze on vault and individual silver while Emily won gold on vault with a score of 11.2, silver for her floor routine and overall individual bronze.
The girls, together with Rebecca then won the team silver..
|
WELSH AGILITY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 |
|
Kestrels soared at the Welsh Gymnastics Novice Agility Championships held in Cardiff coming away with 17 medals between them. - June 2010
The younger boys have worked very hard for this competition, having only been in the squad since January. Ethan Goodwin won gold in the 8 yr Level 1 section, William John also gold in 9/10 yr section while Thomas Jenkins won gold and Owen Badham took the silver in the 9/10 yr Level 2.
Thomas and Owen together with Bethany Melling and Ffion Johnson also won Team Bronze. In Age 11/12 Level 2 section, Isabel Powell excelled by taking silver, and together with Amber Cape and Lydia Sariak, took team bronze. Not to be outdone, Rebecca Ham made a comeback from injury taking silver in 11/12 Level 3, also taking team silver with Emily Akers, Elisha Burke and Jessica Sariak. To top it all, in the 13/14 yr Level 3 Ffion Wynne won gold, Bethan Badham won bronze, and both girls together with Megan Badham took team gold even though they were one team member down. Cara Williams won gold in Age 15+ Level 3 Section.
Head coach Shirley Lazere-Bennett said: "I am very pleased with them all as their standard has greatly improved since last year’s Championship. This really showed as 15-year-old Emma Rickards and 7-year-old Heather Dent recently gained a place in the East Area Squad, and Heather has also gained a place in the Welsh National Development Squad."
|
East Area 5, 6 & 7 yrs Tumble & Vault held in May 2010 |
|
“14 little gymnasts from Kestrel Gymnastics Club took part in the East Area 5, 6 & 7 years Tumble & Vault competition , and were very proud winners of 7 Gold medals, 6 Silver & 1 Bronze between them. For all but 4, it was their first competition, and they did very well watched by proud parents & friends.
4yr olds Olivia Obermaier, Beth Turner & 5yr old Phoebe Quinn took Team Gold. In the 5yr Boys’ section William Dent won Individual Gold, Gwilym Muir Silver and together with Isaac Johnson they won Team Gold. In the 6 yr section Carys Edwards, Carys-Anne Cook,Cerys Phillips & Isabelle Harris won Team Silver, and in the 7yr section Heather Dent took Individual Bronze & Ethan Goodwin Silver in the boys’.”
|
WELSH SCHOOLS TUMBLE & VAULT |
|
|
Kestrel's Take Gold in Welsh Finals - March 2010 Seven gymnasts from Kestrels competed in the Welsh Tumble & Vault Finals in Cardiff on Friday 5th, and came away with more medals than gymnasts! Not to mention a few will now be heading off to represent Wales in the British Finals. 17 yr old James Thomas who attends Chepstow Comprehensive School was present with his Feathers for representing Wales in the British Championship in 2009 and was also presented with a Gold Medal as the U19's were the Team Winners. In the Under 11's 10 yr old Ioan Edwards won Gold and will go to the British Finals, Bryn Muir of The Dell Primary School won Bronze and both boys also won Team Gold. 13 yr old Ben Lloyd of Caldicot School won Bronze, and all the gymnasts together with 10 yr old Emily Akers, 13 yr old Ffion Wynne & 18 yr old Cara Williams won Regional Team Gold Medals. A good day was had by all. |
|
|
 |
Kestrel Girl's Success at East Area Grades Competition - Feb 2010
This weekend seven of Kestrel's youngest gymnasts took flight to the Forest of Dean Gymnastics Centre for the East Area Grades Competiton. Well done to all seven gymnasts who battled nerves and took their places amongst the more than 50 gymnasts in the Grade 14 category. Congratulations to Paige Baker, Ashleigh Gaudian, Jessica Ham, Ffion Johnson, Megan Obermaier, Ella Obermaier and Amy Turner who all passed Grade 14! Photo from left to right: Paige, Fffion, Amy, Jess, Ella, Megan, and Ashleigh
|
|
