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Beth Tweddle fulfils wing-walking ambition

Team GB gymnast Beth Tweddle has fulfilled one of her "crazy" post-Olympics ambitions by wing-walking over the Gloucestershire countryside.

The London 2012 bronze medallist was strapped to the top of a biplane during the aerobatics stunt.

Tweddle, 27, said it was something she had always wanted to try.

"It was amazing. One minute I was sat on the floor then the next minute I was in mid-air. It was awesome," she said, after landing at Rendcomb Airfield.

She said there were lots of different things she had not been able to do in the past due to the risk of injury that she now wanted to experience.

"I did a bit of abseiling the other day and did some ice skating and I've got a snowboarding lesson next week so I'm trying lots of different things," she said.

"I'm hopefully going to do a sky dive early next year. I just want to have a go at everything."


The Liverpool Olympian, who is Britain's most successful gymnast, won bronze in the uneven bars event at London 2012, which could be her last major competition before retiring.

It was her first Olympic medal at her third and final Games, in a career which has included three world, six European and seven British titles.

She is due to be the guest of honour at a homecoming celebration taking place in her home town of Bunbury, Cheshire, on Sunday.

"The reaction has been amazing," she added.

"Everywhere I go I get recognised where before it was just the occasional person would pick up on who I was."

She said she was yet to think about her long-term plans but had decided she wanted to remain involved in gymnastics.

"I just want every child to have the opportunity to have a go at gymnastics," she said.

"Right now, I want to make the most of every opportunity while I can."

×Tweddle's coach takes national gymnastics role
Amanda Reddin, who guided the career of Britain's most successful gymnast Beth Tweddle, has stepped up to become Great Britain's women's gymnastics head coach.

Sportsbeat – Mon, Oct 15, 2012 13:20 BST

Three-time world champion Tweddle is set to retire after completing her set of major championship medals at the London 2012 Olympics but Reddin, who competed at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, is already guiding through many of her successors.
And that makes her a natural appointment, according to British Gymnastics performance director Tim Jones.
"Amanda's knowledge of the system that had been put in place to put our British programme in the top tier of the world is second to none," he said.
"She also has a clear vision of the direction we now need to move forward in order to challenge for Olympic medals on a regular basis."
Reddin has guided City of Liverpool to multiple British titles and will take up her new role at the start of next month, succeeding Adrian Stan, who is now responsible for high performance coach development.
"It is a great honour to be appointed as head national coach and I'm excited to take on the challenge of continuing the great legacy left by Adrian Stan," said Reddin.
"I look forward to building relationships with coaches and gymnasts as we look ahead to European and World Championships in 2013."

×After her successful Sunday debut as a freshman gymnast at UCLA, veteran British gymnast Danusia Francis said she is enjoying her transition into the newest phase of her gymnastics career.

Francis, who competed on uneven bars and balance beam during UCLA's winning effort against over Southern Utah University, enrolled at UCLA on an athletic scholarship after serving as a reserve gymnast for the British team at last summer's Olympic Games in London. While Francis has yet to declare her major at UCLA, she is considering a career as a television presenter.

Born May 13, 1994, in Coventry, Francis previously trained under coaches Vincent Walduck, Michele Walduck and 1981 world floor exercise champion Natalia Ilienko-Jarvis at Heathrow Gymnastics Club in London.

Francis represented Great Britain at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, where she placed 34th all-around in qualifications and helped her team place fifth (the country's best world finish in history) in the team final. She finished 16th all-around at the 2011 European Championships in Berlin, and was a member of the fourth-place British team at the 2012 Europeans in Brussels. Earlier in Francis's career she placed 17th all-around at the 2008 European Junior Championships.

In British Championships competition, Francis's best results include third place all-around, and first place on balance beam and floor exercise, in 2010; second place all-around and first place on balance beam in 2011; and sixth place all-around in 2012.

Francis was one of the reserve gymnasts for the British team at last summer's Olympic Games in London, where she had the opportunity to perform exhibition routines on balance beam under spotlights before each competition session.

IG spoke with Francis at UCLA following Sunday's competition, where she positively assessed her transition to academic and athletic life as a U.S. university student.

IG: What was it like competing in your first U.S. collegiate meet?

DF: It's such a different experience, competing in such a team environment. I hurt my shoulder in warm-up, so that held me back a bit, but it was a lot of fun. There was so much positive energy around.

IG: How did you manage your nerves, competing for the first time since summer and in a new place?

DF: The atmosphere helps you control your nerves a lot, since it's more like having a team right there beside you. It really helps you. Making sure you support your whole team after you perform makes you forget about your own nerves, as well.

IG: After a lengthy international career, what gives you the motivation to continue competing?

DF: Before I was offered the scholarship, I was definitely thinking I would quit after London, whether I made (the British Olympic team) or not. So being here, my motivation is definitely the team. We have so much support, not just in gymnastics but getting a great education and the whole experience so far. I'm sure the next four years are going to be so much fun.

IG: What has been the biggest adjustment for you – the academic demands, the U.S. culture or something else?

DF: I was very homesick when I came here. I was at boarding school since I was nine, but I knew I could always go home because it was only about an hour and a half away. Being so far from home (at UCLA) and knowing I couldn't go home even if I wanted to gave me a slight feeling of being trapped. But having the support I've had has helped me get through that.

IG: What's the biggest difference for you between England and the U.S.?

DF: Everything is so different from England. It's been a big adjustment. The weather, for sure, and there are some small differences, like foods that they don't have here, like baked beans (laughs). I was surprised to find that out! The people are slightly different. I'd says that, in England, people are more sarcastic and to-the-point, so at the beginning if I was a bit honest sometimes to the other freshmen, I was like, "Just let me know!" because they're not used to people being as honest as people are in England, I think (laughs).

IG: What is your course load this term?

DF: This quarter I have English, Architecture and German 59, which is like learning about German culture. I don't have a major yet. I'm undeclared, but I will possibly major in communications. I also love to write, so maybe English or sociology. I'm not sure yet.

IG: What are your thoughts about competing internationally in the future?

DF: I want to do the World University Games in Russia (this summer), and then next year we'll see how my body is, and how my mind is. I'm definitely taking it one day, one month, one year at a time.

×Article sur Beth Tweedle qui " exploite sa souplesse pour le patinage artistque "
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-22...e-rehearsals.html

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Oui, c'est une émission Britannique du type Danse avec les Stars, mais sur le patinage à la place de la Danse Sportive.

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Pour ceux que sa intéressent voici la première video de l'emission avec Beth Tweddle , elle date d'il y'a 2 semaines environ

×Mouvement très prometteur aux barres pour Ruby Harrold ce week-end, lors des championnats d'Angleterre :


Les résultats sont ici, les vidéos sur cette playlist.
Petits scores en ts cas, surtout quand on compare à ceux de l'American Cup...