CHAMPIONS 2009

Southern England Floor & Vault championships 2009

BEX WHATMORE
Southern England Floor & Vault champion 2008, 2009

Bex completes a year of success by dominating this event again and making sure she won two golds and overall champion 2009. A good end of year performance by a brillinat professional.
As the torrent of heavy rain lashed down on the corrugated clad Farm based Maidenhead venue making it a cold wet and dreary day outside, inside was a different world.

The gymnastic arena home to Phoenix GC, where the crowd are close up to the floor found the gymnasts from all over the southern parts of the UK shone and dazzled the judges with breathtaking performances, under the ceiling's red glowing heaters and the ambiance and aroma of Bacon rolls and traditional English tea floating across the room from the busy caters..

Arabian’s biggest ever regional entry of 10 was cut back to 9 with the withdrawal of Sophie Fretwell.

But a return of 7 medals, 2 Golds, 2 silvers and 3 bronze with two overal champions and one Bronze placed overal was quite good to say the least.

This was the 4th competition in just 5 weeks for the girls which is staggering.

Poppy Gibbs
Southern England Floor & Vault Champion 2009

Aged 10 Pops completes what has been a most astonishing year for her, she joined Alan &Arabian in a bit of a nervous state & slightly disillusioned with the sport. She settled very quickly into the club and has become part of the team and it feels like she has been with the team for years.
Alan & Sam have turned her year around with her winning medals all over the UK and also in USA. Within this time Alan took the unusual step of changing Poppy's floor and music after just 3 months of giving her a new one.

" It takes time to get to know the real personality of a gymnast and it was clear that although her floor was good and the music was excellent, it just did not feel right. I admit I was nervous about making such a quick turn around as she had not been with me that long, but sometimes you have to be brave and just act on instinct and I genuinely believed that to keep the floor routine I originally gave her and music would of been a mistake. Wendy Kitchen the clubs just brilliant Choreographer agreed and she changed it and gave her a wonderful routine which has been seen as a right choice as she now has her title"

To complete her first 9 months with a title of Sourthern England ( OOA) floor and Vault Champion is quite remarkable to go with the many Golds she has won for her trademark solid Balance beam performances.

On the Equipment

VAULT

On Vault Lucy Johnston led the way gaining silver place and a mere 0.050 away from Gold medal with a really good show.

Poppy Gibbs close on her heals took Bronze medal with a trade mark vault.

Tionne Cumberbatch in her first ever Arabian top competition and her first at such a high level came in 4th place just 0.050 behind Pops.

Emily Ashley came 20th, Casey Hodges 21st and Kianah Weale 24th

FLOOR

Next up was floor with Lucy Johnston opening up the floors with her stunning tumble pass and was really setting the bar high for others to follow when suddenly and sadly half way through her floor she had to stop and pull out due to a logistical error.

A huge shame for poor Lucy who looked good for a podium finish and an overall placing too.

Tionne Cumberbatch ( pictured) was next but who was quite taken by surprise when she was quickly taken to floor by her coach, earlier than expected. Performing a floor routine for the very first time in her gymnastic career and one she only learned in the last 4 weeks too, took an impressive 5th place.

Emily Ashley came 7th on floor which is a great achievement out of 25 gymnasts from the region but could of possibly been higher had she not slipped near the end of her routine in her required element.

Casey Hodges came 10th on floor with a fast improving routine by the ever hard working gymnast.

Kianah in her first competition away from home since July did OK, but her floor score appeared a tad harsh putting her in 20th place.

Poppy Gibbs closed the floor exercises with a blistering routine which was duly rewarded by the high level judges giving her 2nd place in the region just 0.150 from Gold.

OLDER SECTION

Jess Wright continued her great form of this year by collecting a Bronze for her floor routine and also was unlucky to miss out on Vault coming in 4th place.
Jess also managed to give the biggest individual spectator wake up call by over rotating her twisting tumble and crashing off the floor in warm up and into the advertising boarding which then flew up into the front row of bemused spectators, it looked spectacular but she was fine and walked back with a slightly embarrassed grin on her face.

Hannah Bond Came 5th on floor but took like Jess a bronze medal this time for her vault. So both girls gained regional medals just like they did in the full apparatus where they were placed 2nd and 3rd overall in June.

Defending regional Champion Bex Whatmore was true to predictions by defending her title with a classy performance by again winning and becoming the regional floor & Vault Champion 2009.

Bex performed first on floor and she really gave a Gold medal performance which must of made the gymnasts following her on floor feel they had a mountain to climb. An effortless looking floor display which was a joy for those watching to witness. Her twisting somersaulting vault was also enough to take gold as well.

Overall results

Poppy Gibbs Southern England floor and Vault Champion 2009

Tionne Cumberbatch silver medalist overall

Emily Ashley placed 15th

Casey Hodges placed 16th

Lucy Johnston placed 21st

Kianah Weale placed 22nd

Jess Wright Bronze medalist

Hannah Bond placed 4th

Bex Whatmore Regional floor and Vault Champion 2009

Head coaches of squad Alan Armitage & Sam Gavrovski were pleased with the performances at what has been a long long season.

" The girls need a rest and they deserve it too, I am proud of everything they have done this year, we have gained many results that have firmly established the club in county,region as well nationally and Internationally. It's been a pleasure to teach and coach these girls. Thanks to the parents who have given me such wonderful support and friendship in working with their daughters.....A new home, A new year and I hope new medals to be won in 2010.”

Updated on: 23/02/2010 10:21:09

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