By Carl Field
Great Britain’s Artistic World Championship silver medal winning women’s gymnasts are set to top the bill at next month’s Welsh Championships.
The 2023 men’s and women’s artistic Welsh Open Championships return to take centre stage at Sport Wales National Centre over the weekend of 11/12 March.
And it promises to be an action-packed two days of artistic gymnastics in Cardiff. The women’s artistic action is on Saturday 11th with the men’s competition on Sunday 12th.
In addition, this year’s senior women’s event will also incorporate a British Gymnastics selection trial for the Artistic European Championships to held in Antalya, Turkey, in April.
It means Britain’s top women’s gymnasts will descend on the Welsh capital, including Olympic, Commonwealth, World and European champions and medallists.
Set to be in attendance are Gadirova twins, Jennifer and Jessica, Alice Kinsella, Becky Downie, Ondine Achampong and Georgia-Mae Fenton.
They will compete in the senior competition alongside Team Wales Commonwealth Games gymnasts Poppy-Grace Stickler, Jea Maracha, Sofia Micallef, Mali Morgan and Mia Evans.
📣| 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨
📆 Mark your diary & get yourself to the Sport Wales National Centre on March 11th and 12th to see some of Wales and Great Britain's top artistic gymnasts!
➡️ WAG & MAG line-up
More info & tickets 👉https://t.co/EamY1QNcc5 pic.twitter.com/qboQgLlCjF
— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) February 17, 2023
The quintet of Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova, Kinsella, Achampong and Fenton won silver at the 2022 Artistic World Championships in Liverpool at the beginning of November, when Wales star Stickler was a women’s team reserve.
It was the best ever result by a British women’s artistic team at a World Championships.
The men’s artistic gymnasts are then in action the following day with Birmingham 2022 Team Wales stars Joe Cemlyn-Jones and Swansea’s Emil Barber back out on the competition floor and among the headliners.
Both return having taken a break following last summer’s Commonwealth Games while all-around specialist Cemlyn-Jones is also back following the shoulder injury that prevented him taking his place in the men’s individual all-around final in Birmingham, having qualified in 12th.
He did though take his place in the men’s floor final alongside Barber – who only narrowly missed out on a medal.
Other big names scheduled to be competing as guests are Hayden Skinner from South Essex and Joshua Nathan – who both represented Great Britain at the Artistic World Championships in Japan in 2021.
The latter finished 9th in the all-around competition at those Worlds while also won the British men’s all-around title the same year, just edging his City of Birmingham teammate Cemlyn-Jones for gold.
Meanwhile Adam Tobin, from the Falcons club in North Devon, a GBR men’s team reserve for the most recent Worlds in Liverpool last year, is also set to compete at the Welsh as a guest.
Along with the seniors, there will also be plenty of fantastic action from gymnasts across the different age groups on both days of competition in the all-around competition and apparatus finals.
🎟| 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀
There is still time to get your tickets for the Welsh Artistic Championships! You don't want to miss out on this one 👇
Men's: https://t.co/xOhtzHl4lU
Women's: https://t.co/tWFelzc1JY pic.twitter.com/JW5V0iNBYo— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) February 13, 2023
Tickets for both days of the 2023 artistic Welsh Open Artistic Championships are on sale are available to purchase.
Saturday: WELSH WAG OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS and BRITISH GYMNASTICS SELECTION TRIALS Tickets, Sat 11 Mar 2023 at 09:00 | Eventbrite
Sunday: MEN’S ARTISTIC WELSH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS Tickets, Sun 12 Mar 2023 at 09:00 | Eventbrite
Read more about Poppy-Grace Stickler
Read more about Jea Maracha
Jea Maracha Takes Welsh Title At Just 16 . . . As Benjamin Eyre Picks Up From Six Years Ago