How does Gymnastics fit into the UK School Games?

Breathtaking to watch and exciting to perform, gymnastics is one of the most popular sports in Great Britain with an estimated four million people taking part on a regular basis (source 'Young People in Sport, Trends in Participation, Mori 2002). Gymnastics introduces people from a very early age, to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle leading to a huge variety of opportunities and rewarding non-competitive and competitive sport. Gymnastics develops body awareness, strength, flexibility, control and co-ordination, which can be drawn upon during other physical activities, sports and in everyday life. The diversity of the sport, varying equipment, and a mix of skills and competencies has created a sport that meets the needs of a wide range of participants.

Gymnastics has been part of the UK School Games since it's conception in Glasgow in 2006. The gymnasts competing in the UK School Games have developed through the latent development programmes and will hope to go on to represent their country at international level.

Which UK School Games competitors have gone on the achieve even greater success?

Lizze Beddoe, the 14-year-old gymnast from Cardiff competed in the 2008 UK School Games in Bristol & Bath. She is currently the overall British Under-14s champion. She has been leading the field in the four disciplines of vault, bars, beam and floor since she was just nine, and she has been chosen to be part of the Great Britain squad.

Tell us some interesting and quirky facts about Gymnastics!

- In Men's Artistic Gymnastics the Rings are suspended on wire cable 5.75 meters from the floor - this is higher from the ground than a giraffe is tall!.
- In Women's Artistic Gymnastics the Balance Beam stands 1.25 metres high, 5 metres long and only 10 cm wide!

Which other events are coming up on your sports calendar?

In September we have the English Championships in Leicester and in October there is the AER British Championships in Staffordshire followed by the Artistic World Championships in London.