The club competitions (fast becoming a tradition) held recently at Gymstars Gymnastics Club in Tarxien were acclaimed as highly successful. This was another occasion for the parents with relatives and friends to witness their children showing their skills, guided by their respective coaches. The competitions were held on two separate days before capacity crowds.

The competitions saw a healthy number of participants. The younger ones – three to five years – were well received and caught the eye of all those present. They were graceful and charming and they were full of happy smiling faces receiving their medals. The main scope of such activity for the very young, is no to indulge in competition, but to experience the enjoyments of competing with others, which is of course the most important.

The older ones showed promise with improved performances from the last competitions in technical skills and discipline.

Very impressive were the group of Pre Team, Junior and Advanced girls. Their level was extremely high. These are a pool of high quality athletes, acclaimed as future champions. The boys also did their part well and showed improvement throughout.

For all this, credit should go to all the coaches, all qualified through the British Gymnastics Federation and to the three Bulgarian professionals with the club. The latter coaches are now proving very popular with the children and parents. Choreography for all the groups was prepared by Alision Bird and Antonina Uzanova.

Without any doubt, the main objective of all athletes, is that at one time will get the opportunity to represent their country in this fantastic sport. They will all now continue with their intensive training in preparation for the annual international competition to be held next month. For this competition it is expected that a record number of foreign teams will take part, including, Swedish and Welsh teams for the first time.

A word of encouragement should also go to the group of athletes from Gozo, who also showed great talent and augurs well for the future.