EARLIER this month, the Basingstoke Gymnastics Club hosted their Veterans Open Competition, and one of the Waveney adult gymnasts chose to enter the event.

EARLIER this month, the Basingstoke Gymnastics Club hosted their Veterans Open Competition, and one of the Waveney adult gymnasts chose to enter the event.

Avril Soards has been a member of the Waveney Gymnastics club since the beginning of November 2008.

She has attended the Waveney Club each week for two sessions working alongside other adult gymnasts from the club; many have taken part in National Veterans events, very successfully in the past.

Soards was so keen to take part in the competition at Basingstoke that she wanted to use as a trial for her participation in the nationals in September.

Soards has some excellent skills in her routines including a tucked Tsukahara vault, giants on asymmetric bars together with a straight back somersault dismount, twisting somersaults on floor included in a beautifully choreographed routine and some fine leaps, turns, balances and flighted skills on the beam.

The fact that Soards competed without any falls is a clear indication of her ability in the sport.

She gained scores of 13.300 on vault, 11.950 on asymmetric bars, 11.400 on beam and 12.300 on floor.

She scored the highest total of all female competitors on the day with 37.750 to take the gold medal in the over thirty age group.

Her scores on vault and bars were the highest of any competitors and her floor and beam scores were also in the top three scores.

With an increase in the difficulty content for the national finals later in the year and the participation of the other Waveney adult gymnasts, the club are anticipating more success from their gymnasts in September.