By Carl Field

Ruby Evans has become the first female Welsh artistic gymnast to be named in a Great Britain squad for a senior World Championship for 17 years.

The 16-year-old has been named in the GB women’s artistic team for the upcoming World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

Evans, from Cardiff, will compete alongside Alice Kinsella, Georgia-Mae Fenton, Ondine Achampong and reigning World floor champion Jessica Gadirova at the Worlds which take place from 30th September – 8th October.

The last Welsh gymnasts to make the squad were Olivia Bryl and Lynette Lisle back in 2006.

The Rise Of Ruby . . . A Jewel In The Crown Of Welsh Gymnastics

Further Welsh representation has come with Evans’ Clwb Cymru Caerdydd team mate Poppy-Grace Stickler being named as a reserve.

It has already been a memorable 2023 for Evans – her first as a senior.

In February, she marked her senior Great Britain debut with a silver medal on vault and bronze on the floor at the World Cup series event in Germany.

Ruby Evans, Poppy-Grace Stickler And Joe Cemlyn-Jones Earn Welsh Medal Rush At British Championships

She then headed to Liverpool where she was crowned British vault champion as well as finishing fifth best senior in Britain in the senior all-around competition.

She will also be hoping to help the British women’s team achieve even more success, now less than a year out from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In winning World silver in Liverpool last year, the best-ever result by a British women’s artistic team at a World Championships, it secured GB an Olympic place for Paris.

Then at the European Championships earlier this year, Great Britain’s women bagged an historic first-ever women’s team gold.

Poppy-Grace Stickler And Ruby Evans Lead The Way For Wales At Welsh Open Championships