Children from a County Durham gymnastics club are celebrating their success in two competitions.

Younger members of Barnard Castle Gymnasts Club showed off their skills in a floor competition at Deerness Gymnastics Club, with some children performing competitively for the first time.

Lucy Earl received a third-place medal in the Preparation Set and Sophie Close was awarded a second-place medal in the Novice Set, with both competing in the Year 1 school age category.

A larger group of gymnasts from the club, who train in Durham County Council’s Teesdale Leisure Centre, took part in the Hartlepool Open, competing against other clubs from across the region.

Many of the talented youngsters debuted totally new routines and some performed at a more challenging level than they’ve competed at before.

The children were scored by judges in several individual disciplines, with the girls taking part in floor, vault, beam and bar routines. The boys also performed on floor, vault and bars as well as range and conditioning.

Medals were awarded to:

  • Girls aged eight and under, bronze level: Ruby Brown (first place on beam and third place overall)
  • Girls aged nine and under, bronze level: Darcy Harrison (second place on vault), Maisie Harris (first place on vault), Isabella Butler (second place on bars) and Lily Makepeace (third place on floor)
  • Girls aged nine and under, silver level: Bella Dupuy (third place on vault, second place on beam, second place on floor and second place overall) and Delilah Stephenson (second place on vault and sixth place overall)
  • Girls aged 11 and under, silver level: Ava Kesterton (second place on vault), Abbie Porter (first place on floor and fourth place overall) and Amelia Crawford (third place on bars, third place on floor and third place overall)
  • Boys aged 11 and under, silver level: Daniel Maughan (second place range and conditioning, first place on floor, first place on vault, first place on bars and first place overall)
  • Girls aged 12 and over, bronze level: Katie Hodgkinson (second place on bar and third place overall)
  • Girls aged 12 and over, silver level: Hannah Thompson (third place on bars)

Beth Guy, club coach, said: “The children worked hard in training, learning new routines and practising them. We are really proud of them at the competition performing their routines and one thing which stood out, and made us especially proud, was their sportsmanship.”

Teesdale Leisure Centre hold gymnastic classes for children aged three to 16. For further information about class times and prices, please contact the leisure centre on 03000 260 862.