BASINGSTOKE gymnasts returned from the Men’s Artistic British Club Development Grade Final in Birmingham with a team bronze.

After a long day of demonstrating set routines on all six apparatus, all the dedication and hard work back at the club earned them a team bronze for the South.

All four gymnasts representing the under-13 south team were all from Basingstoke.

In the individual competition Benjamin Dowds was seventh, Archie Knowles 16th, Alex Arnold 21st and Nicholas Rodrigues was 23rd.

The progress of the men’s artistic section has been phenomenal this year down to the knowledge, experience and dedication of the men’s coaching team, Georgi Dyankov, Anton Angelski, Peter Syklemoore, Tom Forster, who are headed up by Joe Fraser their performance director.

In other news from the club, Yasmin Hamilton Giles, Jack O’Brien and Charlie Patey were all selected to represent Great Britain at the Loule Cup in Portugal.

This is an annual event to which a selection panel chose the gymnasts based on their success, scores and performance across the year.

Patey was in the 17 plus category, but was injured in the warm-up, unfortunately meant he ould not continue.

Hamilton Giles performed an excellent display of tumbling, performing continuous acro moves in succession and managed to achieve an outstanding silver medal, even after a fall on landing.

O’Brien was participating in his first International competition, approached the competition with both anxiety and excitement.

After a series of acrobatic elements, and solid landings, he demonstrated his skills to the audience and other representing countries, and finished with a medal. A great achievement for a first international.