English

The weekend saw Twizzlers, for the first time enter the English Trampoline & DMT Championships. Similar to the Trampoline League gymnasts take part in  qualifying rounds before a final later this year. The English Championships qualifiers are held  across 2 events and gymnasts qualify based on a points based on the best score achieved in either of the events. The top 24 then qualify for the finals which this year will be held at Telford in October. 

This is a significant achievement for the club’s progress not only to have 2 of our own competing but for the coaches to be able to learn so much from the event and be able to identify further progression skills required for those gymnasts who can be identified to compete at this level.

5 family members & 3 coaches  made the journey north to Telford all to support both Alex & Tom and after the journey north on the Saturday and impromptu call to meet for dinner was made.. something Twizzlers normally tries to organise at events.

These dinners are more about chilling and relaxing and being more informal rather than talking about what is about to come and gymnastics related. Even with both having competed at Inter-Regional finals on a number of occasions and as well as taking part in several League Finals this was still a new competition with different requirements to meet against tougher competition. A significant step up for both the boys and the club. 

During these meals Twizzlers also now has a very solid tradition which those that have been lucky to be part of refer too as “B” Day! Our very own Coach Angie leads these celebrations at each meal consisting of the presentation of a cake decorated with a single candle. This tradition is completed with Coach Angie and the blowing out of the candle

The event itself sees mainly the larger clubs that we don’t normally see compete at the Inter-Regional level and only compete in League, English & FIG events. Clubs travel from far and wide across England to compete against each other and with the standard higher than what Twizzlers are used to both boys went in to this event with no expectations but to use this as a learning experience.

With Helen being experienced at these events, Angie & Mel  used this as information gathering exercise to see what the standards are like compared to Inter-Regional, requirements needed and to try and gauge what Twizzlers needs to work on in regard to progression if we have the interest in people to compete at this level.

With everyone there supporting and the parents finding themselves looking after the door, the first flight of the day was Tom competing in the Silver DMT 17+ years.  Tom found himself competing against only 3 others one of which pipped him the previous weekend in Cardiff.

Tom finished his first 2 passes in 1^st Place… Normally there would be more people competing and the top 8 would go into a 3^rd pass for a top 4 place before a final pass to decide medals. This then required a rethink of what skills to then put in as the 3^rd pass would now be a final for a medal.

Consistency and correct landings are the key to this event, however the bigger the skills the higher the point value, so it was a balance of both that was agreed upon between Tom and his Coach Helen. Tom was then drawn last to compete. With the first 3 having completed the passes it was down to Tom with again the ask was just to make a clean pass however Tom went out, nailed his pass without a wobble and walked away with a well-deserved gold medal. A magnificent result for both Tom & Twizzlers.

3^rd Flight of the day saw Alex competing in the Silver Trampoline 13-14 years. This group was much bigger with 20 competing in 2 separate flights. Again, no expectations on him with the only ask  to make 2 clean routines and complete. After his Set Alex was sitting in a good position just behind his London teammate from 2022 in 6^th place. For his Vol again all the ask was to complete for only the 2^nd time of doing so his routine in a competition cleanly. Given full rain to push himself Alex went out and made it through his 10 moves to a huge cheer from the supporting Twizzlers crowd… The jump was good enough to put him into 3^rd temporarily knowing there was a second flight to come.

4^th Flight included the second group in Alex age group seemed to last an age. We knew that after the Set routines positions wouldn’t change until the Vol routines began. Once they started there was some frantic refreshing of the live score’s website and with a further 8 jumping would only be a matter of time. Alex slipped to 4^th before the final 2 competitors jumped…  Alex would end up in 5^th with the smallest of margins between him and a medal place. It didn’t matter though as he gone out and did what was asked, taking away another personal improvement and knowing he can compete at that level comfortably.

As many of those parents who have competed before events running on time is often joked about and although the rule is events can run up to 1 hour ahead we all take that with a pinch of salt. There was however, an air of excitement as announcements with updating timings were being broadcast across the arena with Tom in Flight 6 hearing that his flight was now the whole hour earlier meaning for parents an earlier drive home than expected… The excitement however was short lived as a serious technical issue made the celebrations short lived and delay the events past even his original starting time. With Tom used to these kinds of delays he was already prepared for the afternoon.

Like Alex earlier the ask from Twizzlers was to go through 2 clean routines and do his best. With only 12 in his group Tom completed his Set Routine to finish in 7^th place with like everything in this sport the smallest of margins separating him from top 3. His Vol routine again made through clean, but such was the competition pushed Tom down slightly in the final rankings. 9^th overall but like Alex had added a new move into his routine with this the first time competing with it included was an excellent achievement.

With the experience completed and lessons learnt by both gymnasts and coaches we now move onto our next competition which will be the Inter-Regional Finals for which both Tom & Alex are representing London in both DMT & Trampoline as part of Team London