By Carl Field
The 2022 Welsh Rhythmic Championships take centre stage at Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff this weekend as Commonwealth Games selection draws ever closer.
In two days of action across the various age groups in the Open and Closed categories, it will also be the last chance for the Team Wales contenders in rhythmic gymnastics to impress once again ahead of selection for Birmingham.
🇬🇧 | RHYTHMIC British Championships – Senior
Congratulations to our #B2022 Long List gymnasts Gemma Frizelle who won 2️⃣ medals at the #2022British apparatus finals..
🥈 Hoop
🥉 Ball#DaIawn to Gemma and her coaches 👏 pic.twitter.com/aPIOWJBtng— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) May 23, 2022
Last year this event, held over the August Bank Holiday weekend, marked the return of competitive gymnastics in Wales with spectators in attendance – after almost 18 months in hibernation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gemma Frizelle, who is herself bidding to secure her own Team Wales spot for a second Commonwealth Games in succession, walked away with the Welsh senior all-around title and all four apparatus titles in 2021 and will be back as defending champion.
🏴 | 2022 Welsh Rhythmic Championships
The full SCHEDULES for the 2022 Welsh Rhythmic Open & Closed Championships taking place at @sportwalesNC this weekend are available to view..⤵️
👉https://t.co/ACRFWyMugH#WelshChamps2022 pic.twitter.com/4tzMApUl5s— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) May 30, 2022
In the junior competition, 15-year-old Eirlys Jones will be looking to add the Welsh crown to the British junior all-around title she won in Telford less than a fortnight ago.
The rhythmic, women’s artistic and men’s artistic gymnasts selected for Team Wales for this summer’s Commonwealth Games are set to be announced on June 15th.
Tickets for the 2022 Welsh Rhythmic Championships are still available to purchase: Welsh Rhythmic Championships Tickets, Sat 4 Jun 2022 at 08:00 | Eventbrite