A HIGH school trampoline team bounced their way to bronze medal place in the national finals.
The Haslingden High School team of 13-year-olds Ruby Healey, Aden Ramsey, Megan Robertson and Antonia Cusurca won their place in The British Schools’ Gymnastics Competition final after winning the Northern Zonal final in North Shields.
As well as competing as a team, Ruby and Megan also won through to compete in the individual competition for Year 7-9 Girls’ Novice.
The final was at Derby Arena and the students left school early last Friday March 14 so they could find their way around, practice and have time on the trampolines ahead of the competition on Saturday.
Ruby said: “As a team we came third out of the six teams that competed and I was third in the individual.
“It was fun. I had a bit of a stressful warm up because the first time I got on the trampoline, I fell when I was doing a back drop because there was a rebound; but we had seven warm ups.
“The competition was nerve-racking and, after the warm up, I just got on with my routine and I didn’t mess up; I think it went quite well.”
Aden, who had only competed twice before at competition level, said: “This time I sort of knew what I was going to get and so I was a little bit stressed out but I did enjoy the experience.”
Unfortunately, when Megan, who was also competing as an individual, did her routine, she went out of the HD centre box and on trying to correct herself touched the mat at the side.
The competition started with a parade of flags, a bit Olympic style and as Princess Charlotte, was also competing, there was a lot of security present. Her school won the novice class.
The team all train at Fearns Trampoline Club that meets at The Valley Leadership Academy, Stacksteads, where other members siblings Clara and James, from St Paul’s in Rawtenstall, both came second in the Novice Girls’ and Boys’ classes for Year 1-6, and Tom, from Greenmount Primary, was first in Boys’ Intermediate Year 1-6.
Next year, Ruby will be competing as an Intermediate for the individual competition after being placed in the top three.