RIDGEWAY Academy’s Jessica Dodd starred to help the City of Birmingham Gymnastics Club’s senior group become overall champions at the British Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
The four-day event at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool was an exciting occasion for the City of Birmingham quintet as they looked to build on having been crowned junior champions for the past three years.
Stepping out into a stronger and more experienced field was a different challenge altogether but the squad – also featuring Daisie Burke, Amalie Howard, Alarna-Jai Turton and Olivia Whatmore – rose to the challenge in fine style.
On the first day of competition the team were in third position after a near clean ball routine and this triggered the determination to succeed as the following day’s superb hoop and clubs routine catapulted them to the top of the leaderboard to become senior overall British champions.
The girls are the youngest of the senior teams so to came home with individual apparatus bronze and gold medals along with the title of overall British champions is some achievement.
The squad have taken the big step into the senior category with great confidence having also become overall senior English champions at the beginning of June.
Jessica and the rest of the team train at the Perry Barr club under the guidance of head coach Lisa Higgins.
