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Ciara’s a class act in Rhythmic Gymnastics!
Ciara Macfarlane is 10 years old and for the last five years she has trained in Rhythmic Gymnastics with Haverfordwest Gymnastics Club - and more recently with Llanelli Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy as well as once a month with the Welsh Development Squad for specialist training.
It means a great commitment from Ciara, and her parents Rhian and Brian, because they spend between eight and 12 hours each week travelling to Llanelli for training
Rhythmic Gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors (from two to six people) use one or two pieces of apparatus from rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Then there’s ‘free’ competition (no apparatus, so called "floor routine") in a routine to music.
Early successes
Ciara won the Under 10 Welsh Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, having taken the title in June 2010 and competed in the Welsh Championships again this year on the 19th June at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff. She has moved up an age group this year and competed at under 12 level, finishing in a very creditable fourth place.
Not content with that progress, she has achieved merit grades at Wales and West regional grade events for the last three years which enables her to compete at the British National Grade finals.
In addition to this, Ciara won the Welsh under 12 Intermediate Rope Championships on the 30th April this year and was silver medalist in the overall competition.
Welsh Games selection
For the last two years Ciara has trialled successfully for a place in the Welsh Rhythmic Gymnastics Preparation Squad and trains monthly with the Welsh National Coaches. As a result of her achievements thus far, Ciara was selected to compete in the Welsh Games (Gemau Cymru) http://www.urdd.org/en/gemaucymru/what-gemau-cymru on the 8th and 9th July.
(Gemau Cymru is a weekend of national schools sports. This year it was held on the weekend of 8-10 July 2011 in different locations around Cardiff. It captures the inspiration of the London 2012 Games and aims to deliver a lasting sports legacy for Wales and will provide a showcase for the best of Welsh school age sporting talent.)
Busy schedule
Other competitions lined up so far this year are:
City of Bath Open Competition.
Inter Area Welsh Club Championships (tbc)
Three rounds of the British Rhythmic Under 12 Group League in Walsall (x2) and Bradford
British Apparatus Championships, Bradford 8/9 October
Welsh Group Championships, Cardiff 6th November
So there is lots of hard work and training ahead for Ciara!
Ready for challenges ahead
After Wales's silver medal in this sport at The Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010 (Francesca Jones) and as Rhythmic Gymnastics is one of the sold-out events for the London 2012 Olympics, it is already clear that there is a real challenge ahead for rising young Welsh aspirants in this sport and so it requires a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment on their part. Ciara, who lives in Spittal and attended Spittal CP School, now is a pupil at Sir Thomas Picton after this summer, and is eager to compete at the highest level she can.
We in PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can already see that determination after our chat with her, mum and dad, and we will definitely be looking out for her name to appear more and more in the future because she is a talented young lady in her chosen sport of rhythmic gymnastics!
PHOTOS:
Ciara Macfarlane in her Welsh kit.
Ciara wins the Welsh Under 12 Rope Event in Cardiff.
Ciara as Welsh Champion in 2010.
Ciara shows her flexibility with a 'Leg catch'.
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