THE GYM BLOG by Paul Hall at Huntingdon Olympic Gym
I’M writing this from the leafy lanes of Shropshire where four of Huntingdon’s and GB’s finest gymnasts are firmly ensconced in a gruelling training camp at the National Training Centre that is Lilleshall.
This country retreat, once the home to the Duke of Sutherland, now houses one of the finest gymnasiums in the land, and will act as the nerve centre for the final preparations of the Great Britain squad as they prepare for the London Olympiad.
Louis Smith, Dan Keatings, Luke Folwell, and Cameron Mackenzie are all here for a fortnight before the vital selection competition that will decide the Team for the World Championships in Tokyo in October.
Training has gone well, the guys are fit and relatively injury free having had a summer without rest or holiday and more than 30 hours a week of intensive preparation. Team announcement will be at the beginning of September.
Back at Huntingdon plans are well underway for some major changes to the recreation programme for the Autumn term. Head coach Adam Scott has been busy restructuring classes to cope with ever increasing demand, and taster sessions and Christmas courses are being planned in earnest. The club will start one more weekly adult session as well as increasing its structured pre-school sessions and a free running group on a Friday evening. Busy, busy!
Louis appeared on ‘A Question of Sport’ recently and correctly answered a question about his team mate Luke Folwell. Luke was a guest VIP at his beloved Arsenal Football Club last week and enjoyed the private tour of the Emirates Stadium -– heady days, enjoy it guys!
When I next report I’ll have some news about the World Championships selection.
Most Read
- 1 Opposition group to fight plans for new homes in their village
- 2 Fenland man repeatedly raped woman for 20 years
- 3 Vehicle caught fire on A1 near St Neots
- 4 Man assaulted woman and verbally abused hotel staff
- 5 Outdoor inflatable water park returns to Huntingdonshire
- 6 Man fined £300 after being linked to fly-tipping
- 7 Jail for man who boasted he was the St Ives 'weed man'
- 8 Police searching for missing man discover body
- 9 Woman has 'medical episode' during A1(M) crash
- 10 St Ives-based business nominated for MP champions award
Fingers crossed and watch this space.......
Paul Hall