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Lisa Davies and Michael Taytor
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The National Champions which were held in Fenton Manor bring the 'best of the best' with all the top UK Sports Acrobatics gymnasts attending. To gain entry you must have gained gold at a regional competition.
Recent changes in sports Acrobatics rules means that only gymnasts with disabilities performing above a certain level are allowed to compete nationally. The result of these changes has meant that gymnasts from the Cheshire Academy who were previously national champions have now been excluded from national Competition.
The Cheshire Academy however responded by entering 3 wheelchair routines ( the most ever at competition) and performing two of the routines at the advanced level C level which had never been competed at national level.
Lisa Davies (aged 17), who is Crewe and Nantwich Mayors "young sports champion of the year" delivered big time with her wheelchair partner Michael Taylor (aged 16).
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Lisa Davies and Michael Taylor
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There was a great air of expectancy when the pair moved onto the floor area and from the opening move (a Val Des to arabesque) the crowd were entranced. As one of the National judges was to comment later:
"Lisa and Michaels routine was two and a half minutes of pure strength, elegance and grace and near technical perfection. The performance of these difficult and complex routines opens up new and tremendous possibilities for the sport nationally."
Their score of 13.8 secured a well deserved gold.
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Martin Tattersall and Michael Taylor equalled the top disabilities score of 14.85 points
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The pair performed to the music of 'Blade Runner" and although this routine was similar to last years gold medal winning performance, Martin had developed and practised a new dynamic start to the routine which ratcheted up the difficulty and bought them an impressive 14.85 points which was the highest equal disabilities score of the day. The two gold medals were well deserved and acknowledged by the appreciative and knowledgeable crowd.
Crewe and Nantwich sporting roll of Honour star Vicky Perez (age 24) performed the level c routine with female partner Jheni weir (age 16). The routine performed to the music of 'Titanic' was both fast and dynamic and covered every inch of the 12 X 12 metre floor. During the routine Vicky tips her chair and balances on two wheels and wheels her chair forward in this balance position, a risky and difficult manoeuvre on a sprung floor.
Much of the success for the routine was due to its structure and choreography which was in no small part due to Vickys partner, Jheni a prodigious talent who is destined to be a first class coach as well as a first class gymnast. They both collected gold for their immaculate and daring performance.
Head coach and Academy director Iain Chalmers was very pleased with the success of all the gymnasts who took part at these national championships. He looks with great enthusiasm to the future of the integrated sports acrobatics club. |
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Jheni Weir and Victoria Perez performing their gold medal routine
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"This is the first time in the history of sports Acrobatics in Great Britain that the highest and most advanced disabilities wheelchair level C routines have ever been mastered and performed. It is all the more remarkable that his has been accomplished on the same day by two seperate pairs of gymnasts from the Cheshire Academy. Of all the gymnastics clubs in the whole of the UK only the Cheshire Academy has been able to train and coach wheelchair gymnasts to this most advanced and uniquely difficult level."
Every year British Gymnastics present a special award to the gymnasts' who judges believe demonstrate the best and most innovative routine of the day: the routine which best encapsulates the philosophy and shows the potential of sports men and women with disabilities.
For the fourth time in five years two gymnasts from the Cheshire Academy have succeeded in winning this trophy and Jheni Weir and Victoria Perez were this years well deserved recipients.
