School Sport: Coopers gymnasts are star turns

Coopers Coborn pupils show off their bronze medals (Image: Archant)

Coopers Coborn pupils came home with medals from the National Team Trio Gymnastic finals in Stoke on Saturday.

The Upminster school took three teams, more than any other, for the event and the under-16 boys claimed a superb bronze.

Harley Whittlestone, Mark Roe and Jack Ellerton recorded the highest floor and vault scores of the day to finish with a brilliant score of 107.390, their best result yet in the competition.

Only 0.3 points separated the top three sides, but the Coopers trio also picked up gold medals after their score was combined with that of fellow East entrants Parmiter’s, for the region’s first-ever title.

Each gymnast had to compete in floor, vault and a group routine to music and the under-16 mixed team of Josephine Tang, Faith Everett, Kate Walker and Matthew Dye produced solid performances to finish eighth overall.

The under-16 girls’ team of Lauren Mitchell, Annabelle Hostler and Jessica Sexton-Barnes combined for a fine score of 113.850 which, when combined with Parmiter’s, was good enough to pick up a bronze medal.

Assistant head Mark Duncan said: “The standard was exceptionally high this year so these results are even more impressive.

“The students have been working so hard on their routines, in particular the group sequences, and the hours spent in the gym certainly paid off!

“It was a pleasure to take them all away and we now focus on the remaining Gymnastics National Finals (Floor & Vault) for the under-19 girls and under-14 boys in May.”

n Mark Roe had more to celebrate at the National Trampolining finals in Birmingham on Sunday.

Roe produced two excellent routines, including a stunning display in his voluntary segment, to claim silver in the under-14 novice event with a score of 49.4.