By Carl Field
Three Welsh gymnasts have been selected as part of Team GB for this summer’s European Youth Olympic Festival in Maribor, Slovenia.
Women’s artistic duo Ellie Lewis and Jemima Taylor, along with men’s star Alex Niscoveanu are among six British gymnasts in a 39-strong team who will compete in the 17th edition of the summer EYOF which runs from 23-29 July.
“To be selected to be part of Team GB feels so unreal at the moment,” said 13-year-old Lewis, who hails from Bridgend.
“I always have a huge amount of pride when representing my home nation, so to get the opportunity to represent my sport alongside other athletes from other sports as part of Team GB will be an experience I won’t forget.
“I have worked so hard with my coaches transferring up to junior level and to have our efforts come to this selection is a really proud moment.
“I am very much looking forward to the whole EYOF experience; it is a huge event with great meaning and I feel so privileged to be selected to be part of it.”
Alex Niscoveanu: Pic British Gymnastics[/caption]
Newport’s Taylor, aged 14, said: “I am absolutely amazed and feel it a complete honour to be selected to represent Team GB.
“I love doing gymnastics and want to keep progressing and make the most of every opportunity I get. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to take part in the European Youth Olympic Festival.”
Nisvoveanu, 17, who hails from Penarth and trains at South Essex, said: “I always have a huge amount of pride when representing my home nation, so to get the opportunity to represent my sport alongside other athletes from other sports as part of Team GB will be an experience I won’t forget.
“I have worked so hard with my coaches transferring up to junior level and to have our efforts come to this selection is a really proud moment.
“I am very much looking forward to the whole EYOF experience; it is a huge event with great meaning and I feel so privileged to be selected to be part of it.”
Jemima Taylor: Pic: Welsh Gymnastics[/caption]
In addition another Welsh women’s artistic gymnast, 14-year-old Ffion Burgum – also from Bridgend – is a women’s reserve.
Welsh head national women’s artistic coach Tracey Skirton-Davies – who will lead Team GB’s gymnastics team in Slovenia, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have three girls in the line-up for EYOF; Jemima and Ellie as team members and Ffion as reserve.
“The girls are extremely hard-working and motivated to get as much experience as possible of a multi-sport event.
“I personally feel very privileged to be going as team leader for gymnastics to Slovenia in July.
“And to have Alex join us from the Welsh men’s team is an added bonus.”
also to Ffion Burgum who is a reserve, while head national women’s artistic coach Tracey Skirton-Davies will lead Team GB’s gymnastics team in Slovenia. https://t.co/yA8b3FFSpW
— Welsh Gymnastics (@WelshGymnastics) June 8, 2023
Ellie (originally Pen-y-Bont Gymnastics Club), Jemima Taylor (originally City of Newport Gymnastics Academy) and Ffion (originally Fusion Gymnastics Wales) all train at the national centre at Sport Wales under the guidance of the national coaches.
Ema Kandalova, aged 14 from London, Jonas Rushworth, aged 17 from Leeds and Sol Scott, aged 16 from Huntingdon, are the other three gymnasts selected.
Maribor will welcome over 3,000 athletes from 48 countries with artistic gymnastics one of 11 Olympic sports that will make up the programme.
EYOFs play an important role in the development of young British athletes, providing crucial multi-sport event experience and guiding them towards realising their Olympic ambitions.
Many athletes who have competed for Team GB at a summer EYOF have gone on to compete at an Olympic Games, including two medal winning gymnasts from Rio 2016 in Nile Wilson and Amy Tinkler (both Utrecht 2013).
At the last summer’s EYOF in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, Welsh gymnasts Evie Flage-Donovan and Ruby Evans were selected to represent Team GB, with Ruby adding to her growing reputation with a stunning silver medal on the vault.