Hello again. Here’s my next blog. It’s been a busy and amazing few weeks. I’ve met and watched some incredible gymnasts.

Monday 23 July.  4-8pm opps I had a bit of a bump on beam today. It was not too bad, but I did graze my side and the top of my leg.

Tues. It was the school beach trip. Mum picked me up from the beach to go to gym training at 1pm but I was very sandy! I needed to brush myself down. My gym finished at 7.15pm and then we had my gym friend who is leaving this country, slip and slide water party outside! I received a lovely donation of some money from some family friends towards my Florida competition saving pot for February. I’m going to give them a signed gym picture of me to say thank you, and that is so kind of them. Maybe I could give this to anybody else who wants to donate to my America saving pot too?

Weds. It was my Year 6 leavers assembly, then gym 4-8pm.

Thursday 26 July. I left Primary School today!!!! It was our fun Aquapark party with all my year 6 friends, and a few mums.

Fri 1-7pm I did a double twist backwards on floor!!! And I am so close to be doing straight front straight front full on floor as well. ☺ I came home with a trophy tonight.

Sat. Day off. I went to watch Bella in her Madagascar musical, which was funny. I then packed my bag ready for tomorrow’s gym camp!

Sunday. Devon Squad Camp Day 1 in our gym. We played games and had to dress up and arrive in Harry Potter costumes. It was good to see my other friends from other clubs.
I won the most stamps today for new skills and hard work, and got a prize.

I did something great, my double tuck off bars over hard!!!! Yay! Watch this. 

We camped out overnight in the gym!

Monday 30 July. Devon Camp Day 2. Today we had to dress up in an 80s costume. I won a prize for my costume 😉 Unfortunately I did a face plant today. I’ve got a sore nose and lip. It was tiring and Mum said I was grumpy! I needed to have some food and rest! But I have to train tomorrow! I’m tired. It was fun at Devon camp.

Tues 10am – 2pm

I received a wonderful present from my family in the post. It was a photo collage of some action shots of me in competitions this year taken by Berni of BC Photographic. Thank you! I really like the ones of me upside down doing a straight front and a straight back.

 

Weds. Day off!

Thurs. 10am – 4pm A camp at Falcons gym with John Pirrie. It was really good. He came to train us in December last year. He is very experienced as a coach.

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT TOMORROW. Mum, Dad, Bella and me fly up to Glasgow to watch the Women’s European Gymnastics. We booked our tickets over a year ago, and now it it here! Hooray.

Friday 3 August. It’s time! On my days, I am going to go to GLASGOW to watch the best European gymnasts!!!! We went on the plane from Bristol to Glasgow. I haven’t been on a plane since I was 3 years old.

Our hotel was about 30 minutes walk away from the gymnastics place. We had lots of Croatians and Ireland swimmers in our hotel. We couldn’t get a table to eat in the Italian restaurant next door because it was booked for 80 swimmers! 😂

Sat 4 August. We walked along the river and saw some fantastic art on buildings. I really liked this one.

As we were walking we saw a lady smiling at us. When she got close to us we could see she was the lady on the TV that presents the sport on BBC TV. Mum and Dad said her name is Claire Balding. We were so surprised and didn’t manage to get a photo or stop her and say hello!

The gymnastics was in the SSE Hydro. We bought T shirts and some gifts from the shop trailer outside before we went inside. It was so big! I saw my friend from Exeter gym there too. I was with her at Devon camp but didn’t know she was going to be at Glasgow too!

We watched the Senior Women’s Team Finals. The top 8 teams from Europe. It was AMAZING!

 

 

 

Our GB girls worked really hard and their vaults were brilliant as they were under so much pressure. They got enough total marks to come 4th. Well done GB! It was so exciting to watch. The Russians were really great and came 1st.

I can already do a few of the skills that I saw today.  That makes me feel hopeful that one day I might be in this arena. It must be quite scary as you have to come out onto the big stage with all the lights on and photos behind and loud music and people saying all the gymnasts names.

We bumped into Coral from Falcons! She was there as a volunteer helping the judges. It was really nice to see her and a surprise.

I saw the teams from Russia and France too. Corine Devillard and Juliette Bossu from France signed my Falcons shirt.

 

 

We were lucky and we met Beth Tweddle! She was lovely and we talked about my training and about being in GB squad last year and my major head trauma accident. I want to be a GB gymnast again. She said she would remember my name. ☺

We walked back along the river Clyde.

 

 

 

 

We went to George Square where the TV studio and Festival stage was set up.

Sunday 5th August

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just had to do some handstand walking going into the Hydro building, and some held handstands!

We watched the Woman’s Junior Apparatus Finals and the Senior Apparatus Finals all day. Amelie and Halle were in the Junior, and Kelly and Georgia Mae in the Senior. They were all FANTASTIC. Amelie won lots of medals. We were shouting  and clapping really loudly.

A girl from Belgium in the Seniors called Nina Derwael did a fantastic bars routine and became champion, and on beam she did triple spins crouched down with one leg out! Wow!

I got autographs from all the amazing GB girls except Kelly Simm. I missed seeing her. 😔 I saw Taeja James, Lucy Stanhope, Georgia Mae Fenton and Alice Kinsella. The GB senior girls were BRILLIANT!

 

 

I was really shy when I met Alice! She is my GB gym idol and my friend, and we send each other messages, but it was the first time I had ever actually met her face to face. I loved seeing her. She motivates me and inspires me. Her spins on the beam were WOW! I liked her floor too. She is very good all around.

One gymnast did a backward roll to handstand from sitting on the beam. How did she do that? I think my favourite routine from the whole competition was by Sanne Wevers from the Netherlands on beam. It was really really beautiful and she controlled everything. Her spins were great too. My mouth was open while I was watching, Mum said! She won GOLD.

I liked the CATs floor routine by Celina Van Gerner from The Netherlands. Her leo and make up was even like a cat!

Angelina Melnikova from Russia is an incredible gymnast. She signed my T shirt. The girl from Sweden in the apparatus finals signed too. I think her name was Jessica Castles.

 

At the end of the day it was time to fly home.

This was funny at the airport!

On the aeroplane back home we realised that we were sat behind the coaches that I know from Wiltshire and The Academy. It was really funny. The Wiltshire coach took a selfie with me and sent it to Kelly! It was very late at night.

Glasgow was amazing! I am so inspired. I want to be the best gymnast that I can be and I’m excited to get back in the gym at home. I think I can be a great gymnast if I train hard.

It’s our family holiday now in the caravan in Cornwall. I do want a holiday too! I have got some conditioning to do. Kelly has sent me a plan!

We watched lots of the Euros on TV every day. The athletics was great. Adam and coach Mike from Falcons were in Glasgow and Adam competed for the Men’s GB Gymnastics Junior team. The team won a SILVER MEDAL. It is AMAZING! We all wished we were still there to watch. Well done Adam. I am proud of my club friend. The GB Men’s Senior team were incredible too.

Monday 13 August 4-8pm. Back to training! I got there really early as I wanted to start back. It was hard conditioning. I am tired. But we did the raffle ticket draw (a raffle ticket is put in the jar everytime we do a new skill) to win a leotard. I won!!! I won 2 years ago and my sister won last year. We must have some luck! My brother won a leotard draw at Falcons once too. I feel very lucky, and I can’t wait to choose. What shall I get?

Tues 14 Aug 1 – 7.30pm. Arghh I am SO achy today. I thought I would be but arghh. 😂 It was another hard conditioning day! I was so hot and sweaty. I was happy that I did on track front somi round off flic full twist. ☺ I am having to get back into routines again now as it will be competitions in 6 weeks time. I did 10 bars routines with spot, but my wrists are ripped now. Ouch. I have big bits of skin coming off. I put on loads of Sudacrem just before I went to sleep. That was satisfying.

Weds 15 August. I am so tired and stiff! 4-8pm. I made it through to the end, but I did miss the springboard on vault today 😳 😱 😂

Thurs. Day off. (Ikea trip to get a new comfy bed so I can get the best sleep!)

Fri 1-7.30pm. I was scared going into gym today about my vault. I had a talk to Kelly. But it was a good day! I did some basics on vault, roundoffs and roundoff flic to get me to feel better and confident again.

I am looking forward to more good days in the gym.

Thank you for reading and helping me.

Fliss x ☺