Hello again. Here’s my diary blog of my very first British. ☺ 

Tues 12 March 4-8.30pm. I had a good session and I ran through all of my routines in our Falcons gym tonight. I am ready to go! 💪 I will try and go clean at the comp. 

Weds 13 March 2019

Kelly did my hair early in the morning!

Then Dad, Mum, Jack, Bella and me drove to Liverpool. It took 5 hours and it was quite an easy journey. In the car I sent a video to Nile Wilson to say that I was thinking of him and sending him a get well message and and hoping he’d be at the British again soon, and that I was about to do my very first one! I am sad he is injured. (He sent a video message to me when I had my head injury, so I wanted to do one for him.)

We parked our car in the city centre and walked to the Albert Docks to our hotel. Our room was lovely and so close to the M&S bank arena – it was only a couple of minutes to walk. My bed was by the window. Wow! I had a wonderful view of the Docks. ☺ Look! Our hotel was a converted warehouse and I really liked it.

 

 

I am cool as a cucumber and looking forward to the comp. 🥒 ☺ 😂

Thurs 14 March 2019 – BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS 🇬🇧 Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Espoir, M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

I was in the second round, so we arrived at the arena about 10am.

We got my accreditation lanyard, and met Kelly.

We walked into the very big arena. Wow! I found out that when it is full 11,000 people can be in there!

We sat and watched the first round. I think all the GB National coaches were sat in the row right behind me 😂 Beth Tweddle also came and sat right behind me. 😂 I hoped that my routines could be good in front of them.

I then went to register with Kelly.

I got to reveal my special new UNIQUE leotards that I designed and Quatro made. I love them! Thanks Quatro for my short sleeve warm up and long sleeve comp leo. My family said they really really sparkled and looked fabulous. My gem design was like a Scorpion. We thought it was like I could have a sting in my tail 😂 I love the pink yellow and white colours and think it suits my skin and my hair (it suits me 😂) so I wanted to get a design with these.

 

 

After the general warm up and apparatus warm ups we had to start the comp by coming out onto the stage with lights and music and our names being read out. I was starting on vault so had to line up backstage. 

When I came out at the beginning, Mum and Dad said that the announcers said my Ayres name wrong. I didn’t actually notice as I was just trying to see through all the smoke and try not to fall down the steps! I really couldn’t see that well but I waved to the crowd OK. ☺ 🖐️

 

 

We competed at the same time as the Under 12 boys.

One of the Falcons coaches, Gemma and her school gymnasts came to watch me. They were cheering a lot. 🎉

The scores have a D for difficulty E for execution and there are deductions and bonuses which are added to make the total score.

I found that the arena and equipment took a while to get used to so warm ups weren’t great. It was a huge place. The bars seemed a bit slippery. I practised my straight front straight front full on floor but it wasn’t working right, which I was a bit disappointed about, so we decided not to put it in my floor routine.

My first rotation was Vault. We all had two vaults.

 

 

 

My scores were V1 D:3.5 E:8.55 deduction 0.1 Total 12.050

V2 D:3.5 E:8.65 Total 12.105. My best vault.

Bars was next. I fell once on bars, which I am annoyed about, because I thought I might have just made the bars final if I could go clean on the day. After the English I put in my stalder to increase my difficulty. I just had to go for it! I had to go for all the handstands. Oh well. My routine didn’t go quite to plan, but I still did a good job. I know I can do it.

 

My bars scores was D:2.8 E:7.25 Total 10.050

Then it was Beam.

I fell once on beam, on my flic tuck, which was a shame. I actually landed it but lost my balance a bit. My skills were nice.

 

 

 

My scores on beam were D:4.2 E:7 deduction 0.1 bonus 0.2 Total 11.3.

That picture is me doing my free walkover, taken by a professional called Alan Edwards. I really like both photos. ☺

Then it was floor. My floor was good.

 

 

My scores were D:3.4 E:8.35 bonus 0.2 Total 11.950

My vault score and floor scores were higher than the English Champs, which makes me smile.

Even though I did have falls, which was frustrating for me, my routines were good and neat. There were many very very good gymnasts in my Espoir category. I was also against girls that are 12 and 13 years old.

I am proud of myself today. It wasn’t perfect but I had fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the end I came 30th out of 47 gymnasts at my first British.

On floor I was 16th. My execution score was high 8.35

 

I was happy with my competition floor routine. I performed it well and got a high execution score. ☺ Mum and Dad said it looked stunning.

Mum said that Mike arrived in time to watch my comp and Adam and George saw my floor.

Lots of our friends were watching it live on the BG Score app. They could see the live streaming and me on the screen. Mum said she was getting lots of messages telling her people at home were so excited watching! Thank you everyone.

What an experience for my first British. Thank you Kelly for getting me here. I will keep working hard, and I know what skills we are going to work on next. I am proud that I am the first Falcons female gymnast to ever qualify to compete at the British. ☺ I am determined to make next year and will keep being positive. I hope to make some finals next time. 

After the comp, we went and got some food in Pizza Express just outside, and saw some Falcons friends who came to watch and said how great it was to watch me.

We then watched and cheered on the Falcons boys Adam and George in the U18 comp. They were awesome! Adam got several medals, and George placed well. We were still there at 10pm! It was a long day! I got a T shirt of the British Champs with has my name on the list on the back. 😍

This is what our hotel wardrobe looked like! A gymnast’s wardrobe. 😂

 

 

Once my comp was over I could enjoy the rest of my weekend here watching gymnastics, exploring Liverpool and more gymnastics!…And 3 days off gym for me!

 

When I get back in the gym I am going to be out of routines!! Yay. I’ve been doing them for months and months and focusing so hard. Now I get to do new skills and try things out. I have had competition after competition, four comps (Compulsory 1 at Lilleshall, Presidential Classic at Florida USA, English Championships at London and British Championships at Liverpool) all in the last 6 weeks!!!! It’s been crazy, and exhausting. I have travelled a lot! I can have fun time in the gym now and learn new things, it’s like play time 😂 My GB Performance Pathway camp at Lilleshall is 3 weeks away, so maybe I can try new skills then too. ☺ 🇬🇧

 

Friday 15 March

It was a day to chill and explore and go shopping in Liverpool. There were so many shops! I like shopping☺ I couldn’t buy too many things though as I am saving my money. Oh my days, I did find my favourite shop ever, Lindt. I love Lindor chocs. They are my treat to myself whenever I can!

 

We saw lots of gymnasts around. Ellie Downie, Claudia Fragapane, our Falcons competitors Adam and George and my Falcons gymnast friends Rosie and Bella that came to watch. They said they were all watching me on the live stream yesterday and think I am amazing and my floor was stunning, which is so kind.

 

Sat 16 March.

We met Falcons friends Maddie, Charlotte and their parents outside the arena in the queue and also Ryan. Ryan was competing in the Men’s seniors.

 

 

It was a fantastic day. Ryan was incredible! We were shouting and screaming. He got a bronze on vault!

 

Giarrni was awesome. We spoke to him in our hotel in the morning. All the boys and girls seniors were all awesome. I loved Alice Kinsella, Kelly, Claudia, Georgia-Mae, Amelie and many more. We met Nile Wilson who was there supporting.

 

We saw Kelly Simm and Georgia Mae Fenton in our hotel. My sister got selfies! 

 

 

Sunday 17 March.

We watched all the apparatus finals all day.

I felt annoyed with myself that I hadn’t made a final (bars), but I will make it next year. 💪 🤞

 

 

I think it’s terrible that not enough people watch the boys. On Thursday and Sunday lots of people left after the girls had finished.

 

In the Masters finals on Pommel Adam was against Max Whitlock MBE. Adam also did Rings. Ryan did Vault. They were brilliant and were on TV. Bella and I were in the background near the end of the women’s vault run in the front wearing yellow tops, next to our friends, waving at the cameras at the end of the vaults. Several of our family and friends said they saw us on TV.

We drove back home after the Masters. It took 5 hours to get to north Devon. We got back at 11.15pm.

Mon 4-8pm training. I was tired!

I just can’t stop watching Ellie Downie’s floor. I absolutely LOVE IT. It makes me so excited and tingly. I love the music, the dance choreography (it’s really put together well), the gymnastics. All of it 💞 Wow. How has she come back like this? I want to watch it over and over again. WATCH!

 

Claudia Fragapane’s come back from her injury is also amazing! Wow!

I have been watching the videos of my own routines. I can watch the recordings of the judges cameras on BG score app. It makes me feel excited and happy that I actually look good! I can see how my skills look instead of how they just feel to me. I am annoyed I came off bars and beam because all my elements were really nice.

 

Tues 4 – 8.30pm. Kelly said I had worked really hard today. Guess what?! I did my double back on track tonight. Yes! I am really pleased. 💪 🎉

 

 

 

 

I shall keep learning and being positive and determined. ☺ I have lots to do.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me.

Fliss

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