Jade's a MASTER GYMNAST!

Jade Faulkner, Great Britain team member, British Championship medal winner, European and World Championship competitor and an Esprit gymnast from the very beginning, has been awarded the very highest accolade given to any gymnast, the coveted status of Master Gymnast.

Jade received her award from Alan Sommerville OBE, the executive Chairman of British Gymnastics.

At a prestigious awards luncheon held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire, Jade was joined by other greats from the sport, including Beth Tweddle MBE who received a special mention in recognition of being made an MBE in the new years honours.

Jade now joins the sports elite alongside Britain's Got Talent winner, Alex Uttley (the little one with the 6 pack) from acrobatic group Spellbound and is one of only 16 rhythmic gymnasts in the UK ever to receive this honour.

The award is for ‘distinguished service to British Gymnastics and is reserved to only those people who have represented their country and by example or deed been an inspiration to aspiring gymnasts and excellent ambassadors for the United Kingdom and British Gymnastics’.

For Jade the event was a well deserved break and a chance to change out of the normal tracksuit or leotard, attend the superb luncheon and mix with the UK's elite sports stars, but Jade was soon back in training and preparing for the British Championships, which are being held on 9-11 July at Fenton Manor, Stoke on Trent.

Jade will be competing in her second British Championships as a senior and she will be joined by no less than TEN of her club mates competing at various age groups!!!!

So why not pick up a leaflet from the club and go along to Stoke-on-Trent to watch Jade and Esprit's other top gymnasts, it really will be a fantastic spectacle of the country's best gymnasts from the tiny 8 and 9 year old's, right through to the Jade in the seniors.