Quartet qualify at SALTO Gymnastic Club's season opener

SALTO Gymnastics Club hosted its first event of the 2022-23 season, with the Bedfordshire Amateur Gymnastics Association, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics County Four Piece Classic Challenge Competition taking place on Sunday.

The event, staged at the state of the art gymnastics facility in Sundon Park, welcomed 44 gymnasts representing four clubs from across the county.

For many it was their first taste of competitive gymnastics post Covid, and with around 200 spectators in attendance, it gave a number their maiden opportunity to perform in front of an audience.

Brooke Dickens, Sophie Billington and Lilia Monastro qualified to compete at the East Region Finals to be held in Ipswich on October 30, while Lara Harker, a bronze level gymnast, also qualified for a Regional Qualifier event on October 16.

All the SALTO gymnasts gave creditable performances, with new head coach Phil Heathcote saying: “Well done on what looked like quite a successful competition.

"Hopefully this is a building block for future improvements.”

SALTO Gymnastics Charitable Foundation Limited launched a crowdfunding campaign in September, with the project aimed at making vital improvements to the SALTO Centre, supplementing the funds pledged and already received from Grant Making Trusts and Campaigns.

As a special bonus, Sport England have made a conditional pledge that they will match fund up to 40 per cent of the total raised up to a maximum of £8,000 if the club receive at least 100 individual pledges and attain at least 25 per cent of their £20,000 target.

So far, SALTO have already received over 100 individual pledges and at the time of going to print, had managed to raise over £4,000 or 20 per cent of their target.

To help the campaign, head to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/salto-refurbishment-project.