Athletes who performed for Team Special Olympics Great Britain at the Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games recently brought home another vast collection of medals, this time from the recent Disability Artistic British Championships.
The Championships, staged at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Newport, Shropshire, saw 60 athletes from across the country compete for the title of British Champion in their respective categories.
Delivered by British Gymnastics, the annual competition demonstrated a wide array of talent from competitors, with five of the six Team Special Olympics GB athletes competing and producing impressive performances across the board.
Special Olympics Suffolk and Waveney Gymnastics Club pair Simon Booth and Grace Beales each took home a gold medal from their categories after scoring 61.050 and 41.400 respectively.
Emma Thomson from the City of Glasgow’s Gymnastics Club achieved silver with a score of 40.900, while fellow Glaswegian Craig McGarrity’s score of 52.450 won bronze. Jack Jacobs, also of Special Olympics Suffolk and Waveney Gymnastics Club scored 42.800 to win bronze.
Earlier this year, Grace, Simon, Emma, Craig, Jack and Jersey-based athlete Chloe Russell won a combined 34 medal at Berlin 2023.
In recognition of their achievements, City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club was the winner of the Inclusion Award at the recent Scottish Gymnastics Award and coach Amy Meiklem was named Young Coach of the Year.
Emma and Craig were runner-up in the Senior Gymnast of the Year Award, which was won by fellow Team Special Olympics GB athlete and rhythmic gymnast, Amy Clark.