A LIMBER team of gymnasts somersaulted into first place at a national championships on Monday (25th January).

The U19 group, made up of sisters Sky and Kia Ballantyne, Eliza Cripwell and Megan Linnell from Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, were gold medallists at the Welsh Championships, qualifying them to compete in the British Nationals in March.

The competition, held at the Sport Wales Centre in Cardiff, also saw the U11s take second place in their age group, qualifying for the same event.

These fantastic achievements followed yet more victories on Sunday, when U11 team Elena Evans Small, Olivia Armstrong, Harriet McAninly, Savannah Griffiths and Kyra Dosmonu came second at the Independent Schools Gymnastics Association’s National Championships.

Held at Haberdashers’ Askes’ School for Girls in Elstree, the contest saw Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls (HMSG) take home five medals in total.

Sky came fourth in the U13 individual round, Eliza came fifth in the same category, Elena was fourth in the U11 solo stage and Olivia was sixth in the same group.

Ceri Crawford, HMSG’s Head of PE and Teacher I/C Gymnastics, said: “This was a fantastic achievement with some tough competition, especially in the U13 age group.

“Many hours of training were put into these results, and I am very proud of the girls and the way they represented HMSG.”