Sleaford gymnast Logan in national title bid

A young Sleaford gymnast will challenge for a national title later this month after being crowned Midlands champion.
Regional champion Logan Somers with Sleaford Elite head coach Patsy Shields EMN-170307-180614002Regional champion Logan Somers with Sleaford Elite head coach Patsy Shields EMN-170307-180614002
Regional champion Logan Somers with Sleaford Elite head coach Patsy Shields EMN-170307-180614002

Logan Somers, who trains at Sleaford Elite Gymnastics Club, and clubmate Rachel Shields represented the East Midlands in Birmingham at the regional finals of the National Trampolining, Tumbling and Double mini-trampoline (DMT) Team event.

Logan won the boys’ 11-12 years Level 1 DMT and will next head to the Telford International Centre to vie for a national crown.

“Logan’s performances kept us all on the edge of our seats. It was amazing,” head coach Patsy Shields said:

Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002
Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002

“At Telford, the worst case scenario is Logan is eighth in the country. The best case is our little club could be the training facility for a national champion.”

On his first run he finished second, just 0.2 behind his East Midlands team-mate, but won his second run to take top spot at the halfway mark.

He produced an amazing third run, scoring 29.1 to preserve his lead going into the last run - a tuck jump, tuck front somersault.

His discipline paid off and despite ninth place on the final run, he finished top overall, 0.3 ahead of his team-mate.

Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002
Part of the Sleaford Elite squad that cmpeted at Rotherham EMN-170307-180559002

Rachel produced a solid and clean set of four runs on DMT at Level 1 Women 9-10 years to finish a respectable 13th out of 17 in her first National event.

“She did us proud,” Patsy added. “She is only eight-years-old competing within the nine to 10 category.

“In her own words, she said ‘I will be back next year!’ She is so full of determination.”

* Artistic gymnasts Elly Conway, Isla Smeed, Lily-Grace Simonds, Scarlott Field, Kaelin Brown and Louise Hirst represented the club at the Rotherham Women’s Four-piece Open.

Louise performed her best-ever competitive beam routine to win gold as the squad performed some of their best routines and produced great scores.

Patsy said: “I’d like to say a special big thank-you to the coaches and judges Justin Brown, Nicola James and Ellie Rooke-Williams who were all fantastic, representing our club as volunteers.

“Also, a big thank-you to all the super-supportive parents we have at the club.”

* For more information about the club, call (01529) 968080 or email [email protected]

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