Wales’ Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics teams have begun preparations in Australia ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games.
The men arrived on Wednesday, two days after the women, and both squads will now start their countdown on the Gold Coast ahead of the Games which starts on April 4.
The two squads have been boosted by encouraging performances at the recent British Championships in Liverpool, where Welsh gymnasts brought home a haul of 14 medals across all competitions.
Holly Jones was crowned British vault champion and Maisie Methuen won the British title on beam. Fellow Commonwealth Games gymnast Emily Thomas took bronze on bars.
The men’s Artistic Commonwealth Games gymnasts also did well, with Jac Davies winning a silver medal on the pommel horse and bronze in the Master’s final on the same apparatus.
The men’s artistic team are all set for the Gold Coast !! #WGBelieve 👏🏼🇦🇺😃 pic.twitter.com/HdyJAz6Sei
— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) March 19, 2018
Josh Cook won bronze on floor and on the rings and also scooped a bronze medal in the Master’s final on the floor. He also finished fifth in the under 18 all-around competition.
Emil Barber, who is a travelling reserve for the Commonwealth Games, won a silver medal on the vault and came sixth in the under 18 all-around competition. He also finished 8th in the Master’s vault final.
Methuen also came fourth on the floor, sixth on the bars and seventh in the all-around competition. Thomas came fifth on vault, sixth on floor and sixth in the all-around competition.
Fellow Commonwealth Games team members Latalia Bevan came ninth in the all-around competition and Jolie Ruckley, who continued to compete despite suffering a nasty injury to her mouth during podium training on beam, finished 19th in the all-around competition. Travelling reserve Rebecca Moore came fourth on bars and 12th in the all-around competition and non-travelling reserve Zoe Simmons came sixth on floor and 10th in the all-around.
Men’s Artistic Commonwealth Games team member Iwan Mepham came seventh in the parallel bars final, Benjamin Eyre came 10th in the all-around competition and Clinton Purnell competed on pommel and vault.