Welsh gymnast, Francesca Jones, to represent Great Britain in Olympic trials – Rhythmic gymnastics
British gymnastics announced Francesca ‘Frankie’ Jones as Great Britain’s representative at the Olympic test event for rhythmic gymnastics. The news went public on December 7.
Frankie is a Welsh gymnast with a passion for the rhythmic discipline. Over the years, she has shown the strength of her passion and devotion to the sport through her unrelenting spirit even in the absence of facilitation.
Rhythmic gymnastics is somewhat a minority sport. Due to lack of facilities close to home, or at her own club, the Northamptonshire resident travels all the way to Birmingham to train.
"The ceiling at my club in Wellingborough is too low, there's not enough floor space, we do not have a carpet and it is not a full-time gym. There is no way I could train properly," she said.
After the budget cuts of 2009, Frankie did not have the option of hiring a full-time coach, as none existed. Lisa Higgins then came forth to help and volunteered hours to train the rhythmic gymnast.
In a statement exuding frustration, Higgins said, “We do not compete with the top countries because we have not got the set-up”.
Despite the lack of support materials, Frankie has five national titles in rhythmic gymnastics to her claim. In 2010, she earned a silver medal for her routine on the hoop at the Commonwealth Games.
Frankie went into the first Olympic qualifiers – 31st World Championships in Montpellier – in September, with realistic expectations and no hopes of coming back as a medallist.
During an interview before she headed to Montpellier, Frankie said, “There is no hope (for medals) now, but if you do not have someone there, how can you progress for the future?”
However, the event did see her emerge as the top ranked rhythmic gymnast among all who were representing Great Britain.
The athlete will get her next shot at an Olympic berth at the North Greenwich Arena in January. The exact dates for the test event are January 16 to 18.
Frankie, along with her group of gymnasts, will have to hit a benchmark score at the very least, which amounts to 45.223 points across two routines, five balls and two hoop or three ribbons.
To achieve this goal, Sarah Binding has been coaching and working with the gymnasts.
Once the girls hit the target, the British Olympic Association will receive a nomination, which will enable the body to utilize the host country berth at the Olympics.
It seems that Frankie’s tireless and passion-driven efforts are finally paying off as she gears up for the opportunity of a lifetime.
If she plays her cards right, the gymnast can instate Great Britain’s name on the Olympic map and brighten the future of the sport she loves, both at the same time.
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