Richmond Gymnastics Association (RGA) is plotting a course for world domination after 17 athletes were named in the Team GB squad bound for the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in China next month.
Mixed pair Lewis Walker and Isabella Montagna, European junior champions in 2013, and women’s group Jennifer Bailey, Roxy Parker and Katie Fearon will lead senior medal hopes in Putain.
Millie Jeffcock, Bibi Richmond, Gabby Potter. Grace Tucker, Lucy Gamble, Tabbie Dawson, Scarlett Wright, Kitty Williams, Alex Papworth, Christian Cox, Bertie Cardillo-Zallo and Aidan Lim are in the junior ranks.
The squad will take part in Team GB training camps in the middle of March before jetting off to the far east.
Impressive: RGA's Tabbie Dawson, Kitty Williams and Scarlett Wright in action in Belgium
RGA head of acrobatics Mel Sanders, also one of the GB coaches heading to China, said: “This is a tremendous result for the gymnasts – they have trained extremely hard for many years to reach such a high level of performance, and this has now been recognised by the national selectors.
"I am very pleased for all of them – they deserve it.
“We have five weeks intensive training before we depart for China, where I know they will all do their best.”
The squad celebrated their call-ups with a spectacular medal haul at the Flanders International Acro Cup and Acro World Cup in Belgium last week.
As one: Twickenham's Isabella Montagna with her partner Lewis Walker in action at the Acro World Cup in Belgium
The mixed pair and women’s group claimed silver medals in the senior World Cup event, but it was in the junior Acro Cup where RGA’s stars shone brightest.
Dawson, Wright and Williams combined to dominate the 13-19 years women’s group event to claim gold – a feat repeated by the the 12-18 years men’s group of Papworth, Cox, Lim and Cardillo-Zallo.
Gamble and Tucker claimed 13-19 years women’s pair silver in their first international event and Jeffcock, Potter and Richmond did the same in the women’s group category.
Waldegrave School student Potter, 13, said: “This was our first competition as a new partnership and, having just been selected to represent Team GB in China, the pressure was really on us to do well.
“To win silver is exciting and we have learnt so muchfrom the whole competition, which we will use for the World Championships.”
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