Great Britain’s best ever gymnast Beth Tweddle gave a master class at her training partner’s school when she visited King’s Girls’. Cheshire athlete Beth trains every day with King’s rising star Jenni Pinches and was cheered to the rafters as she spoke to a full school assembly.
The reigning World and European champion on the uneven bars, Beth is the first British gymnast ever to win a medal, let alone gold, at the World and European Championships and is considered to be the most successful British gymnast of all time. She is also the seven-time British National Champion, having won the title every year between 2001 and 2007.
This summer Beth was disappointed to come fourth in the Olympics, but dismissed speculation that she could be elevated to the Silver medal position after results of continuing inquiries into the age of two medal winning Chinese gymnasts.
“The Olympics are behind me now and it doesn’t matter to me what they decide. It’s the next challenge that concerns me and I am now back in full training to be ready for the next World Championships.”
Beth brought the same single-minded dedication to her lecture and master class at King’s, where her training partner and hopefully next Great British gymnast Jenni Pinches, is an aspiring academic and athlete. She told the girls how she had begun training at the age of seven and virtually ever since had undertaken four to six hours training every day. Beth said: “Dedication, drive and determination go without saying, most importantly you must never let go of your dream.”
Predicting that British performances would only get better in gymnastics and all the other Olympic sports, Beth added: “There is a new attitude now. No athlete is going to any Games anywhere in the world just for a holiday. Everyone knows they must win.”
She added: “Lottery funding has given British sport a whole new lease of life. It doesn’t just help to support an athlete’s living expenses, but means we can have the best coaching and preparation in the world.” Speaking about her friend and fellow gymnast Jenni Pinches, who is the Junior English and British Schools All Around champion currently ranked 8th in Europe, Beth said: “Jenni has a bright future. She trains religiously and has great natural talent.”
King’s Girls’ Division Head of Physical Education Lisa Booker said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for King’s to welcome such an inspirational young woman who has done so much to bring British gymnasts back to world prominence.”
