From the 12th – 15th September, the 2013 Sainsbury’s School Games took place at the Ice Arena in Sheffield. The event saw the UK’s elite young sportspeople compete in a multi-sport environment creating an inspirational and motivational setting.
Following up, the English girls matched the boy’s success by again taking the team gold. England scored 152.650 with Wales in silver (147.150) and Scotland in bronze with 140.600. England’s Catherine Lyons took the all-around title with 53.500 points ahead of teammate Alice Kinsella with 49.550 and Maisie Methuen from Wales in bronze with 48.600, Casey Jo Bell from Northern Ireland just missed out in 4th.
Catherine said: “My preparation coming into this event wasn’t t the best as I hurt my thumb a few weeks back which has really hampered my training. I started up with a new vault, full twisting Yurchenko so that was a bit nervy but I went for it and it went well so I’m happy with that. On bars I was a bit shaky as I never seem to hit in competition but it went quite well and on to beam I started well but fell on flick flick layout but had to get myself back up and carried on with three new skills. Finishing on floor I knew I just had to do what I do in training and I did just that. Throughout the competition I tried to remain focussed on my own performance and block everything else out and I guess I worked. I’m really happy with the two gold’s especially the team one as I was the captain and tried to encourage everyone and we all did our best. It was important for me to put new skills out in competition as next week I have an international in Japan which I’m really looking forward to.”
Catherine continued to dominate the women's field on the Sunday which saw the apparatus finals for the men and the women take place. In the women’s event, Catherine took all four apparatus titles adding to her all-around and team gold. Her full twisting Yurchenko was the hardest vault of the day and she showed equally impressive difficulty across the other apparatus including a sky high Gienger on bars and some original skills on beam including a change leg split leap mount.
England also had a clean sweep of the apparatus titles in the men’s competition. Fresh from his all-around gold, Giarni Regini-Moran took the vault and floor titles showing off his impressive double twisting double back on the floor. The rest of the titles were split between his teammates, with Hamish Carter taking pommels, Joe Fraser rings, Loukas Jones high bar and Joshua Nathan p bars.
Full results.
Don’t forget all BG members can watch routine videos from the event via GymNet. Keep an eye out for these being uploaded over the next few days.
Apparatus medallists
Women Vault 1. Catherine Lyons (ENG) 13.725 2. Casey Jo Bell (NIR) 13.225 3. Maisie Methuen (WAL) 13.075 Bars 1. Catherine Lyons (ENG) 13.600 2. Rebecca Moore (WAL) 12.200 3. Alice Kinsella (ENG) 12.150 Beam 1. Catherine Lyons (ENG) 2. Alice Kinsella (ENG) 12.750 3. Latalia Bevan (WAL) 12.300 Floor 1. Catherine Lyons (ENG) 13.300 2. Erin Mclachlan (SCO) 12.850 3. Holly Jones (WAL) 12.700
