Pupils from English Martyrs Catholic Voluntary Academy in Oakham win bronze medals at the English Schools National Gymnastics Championships

Pupils from English Martyrs in Oakham have made their mark in a national gymnastics competition after months of dedication and hard work.

The school’s level 3 and 4 teams came first in their categories at the RISE Gymnastics Team Competition at Ashwell in January, earning them a place in the county finals.

In March, the same teams competed in the county finals and came away as champions, beating strong teams from across Leicester, Harborough, Wigston, Oadby and Charnwood.

Their success secured them a place at the English Schools National Gymnastics Championships, held at Fenton Manor in Stoke-on-Trent last month.

In preparation, the gymnasts took on the challenge of learning entirely new routines, including paired acro routines set to music, as well as choreographing their own individual performances.

Both teams gave brilliant performances. The under-10s team competed against 10 other schools, while the under-11s faced 11 other teams.

The under-11s took home bronze medals and were also awarded the shield for the highest-scoring new school in the competition. A special mention goes to Desiree, who was the highest-scoring gymnast in her age group overall.

A big thank you went to Miss Crowther, who went above and beyond to support the gymnasts, from organising practices to managing all the behind-the-scenes logistics.

Headteacher Gosia Brown said: “We’re all incredibly proud of what the girls have achieved. Their dedication has been amazing.

“Thank you to everyone who supported them and helped make this experience possible.”