REDDITCH rhythmic gymnast Jess Dodd starred to help the City of Birmingham Gymnastics Club become Junior Elite Group All-Around Finals champions at the British Championships.
The International Centre in Telford played host to the prestigious event over three days and Ridgeway Academy pupil Jess was part of a City of Birmingham GC junior elite squad also featuring Daisie Burke (Oldbury), Amalie Howard (Harborne), Alarna Turton (Rowley Regis) and Olivia Whatmore (Kingswinford).
This newly-formed team for 2018 did not make things easy for themselves during the qualification rounds as errors pushed them into fourth position on final qualification, but the girls held their nerve and produced perfect clubs and ribbon routines to be crowned double British junior champions in both apparatus.
The success continued for the club as its senior members claimed a silver medal in rope and ball. The girls will next compete at the Butterfly Cup in Brighton.
Fourteen-year-old Jess trains 16 hours per week at the Perry Barr club under the guidance of head coach Lisa Higgins.
