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.

Fingers crossed and watch this space.......

Paul Hall