Harrogate schoolboy takes silver at Yorkshire elite grades gymnastic championships

20 October 2016

Talented Harrogate schoolboy Robert Kidd has beaten off tough competition to take silver in a prestigious regional gymnastics championship.

Now the nine-year-old pupil at Belmont Grosvenor School will go on to represent Yorkshire in the national gymnastics finals taking place in Birmingham next month.

Robert, who is in Year 5 at the co-educational prep school, based at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, Harrogate, was awarded a silver medal in the Men’s Artistic Yorkshire Championships, held in Leeds last month.

It is the first time Robert has competed at Elite level – the highest level for a gymnast – and he is delighted to have won silver in the Level 2 (Under 10s) competition.

 

Robert said:

I really enjoyed it but it was a lot harder and the competition was a lot tougher than last year. I am really pleased with winning a silver medal.

 

Robert, who trains for 17-and-a-half hours per week at the Leeds Gymnastics Club
Robert, who trains for 17-and-a-half hours per week at the Leeds Gymnastics Club

 

Robert, who trains for 17-and-a-half hours per week at the Leeds Gymnastics Club in Seacroft, started gymnastics when he was just four years old. He trains alongside hero Nile Wilson, who took bronze in the horizontal bars at the Rio Olympics this summer.

 

Robert said:

I have to make a lot of sacrifices to do my gymnastics – the Birmingham competition means I will miss Bonfire Night, but it is worth it. I really love it and definitely want to compete at the Olympics in the future.

 

Robert competes over the six gymnastics apparatus – floor, pommel, still rings, vault, parallel bars and high bars – as well as preparing both physical and artistic programmes.

Robert will compete at Birmingham’s National Gymnastics and Martial Arts Centre at the beginning of November at the Men’s National Artistic Championships – and fellow pupils at his school will be keeping a close watch on his progress.

 

Peter Baird, boys’ PE and games teacher at Belmont Grosvenor School and Robert’s form tutor said:

We are delighted to hear of Robert’s success, which has come about through much of his own hard work and determination as well as a great deal of talent.

Everyone in his class see Robert as a friend, first and foremost, but we also see him as a role model for what hard work can achieve and will continue to achieve. We wish him lots of luck for his next competition.

 

 

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