Young Wallasey trampolinist takes regional awards crown

Jan 25 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

A TALENTED young trampolinist is jumping for joy after clinching a major regional title.

Eleven-year-old Bethan Davies Williams, from Wallasey, took the under-13s crown at the British Schools Northern Trampoline Championships.

She beat top trampolinists from the North West, Yorkshire and Northern Ireland at the finals in Northumberland.

Bethan, a pupil of West Kirby Grammar School, trains at Birkenhead Trampoline Club under head coach Dr Cathy Page.

She will now compete for the overall British National Schools crown in March.

Her victory is the culmination of a gruelling weekly training regime.

She said: “I’m nervous about the national finals but also excited.

“I train every day, apart from Fridays. In total it’s around 16 hours a week.”

Bethan is also a member of her school’s gymnastics team and enjoys rock climbing and diving when she is not on the trampoline.

She said: “I used to do a lot of gymnastics but switched to trampolining and found I really enjoyed it.”

Kirsty Whiteley, deputy headteacher at West Kirby Grammar, said: “Bethan had already done extremely well at the North West qualifying heats so we were delighted to hear that she’d gone on to win the Northern championships. The whole school will be wishing her success in the nationals.”

The national finals will take place in Bristol on March 11.

Bethan will be judged on a set skills routine and a voluntary performance.