Sam Woodford - Gymnastics

Hi, I’m Sam Woodford and my sport is gymnastics. I am 12 years old and am a member of Notts School of Gymnastics and my coach is Nick Blanton. I go to the gym six days a week and train for a total of 25 hours. I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was 4 and started competing when I was 5.

The competition season for 2006 and 2007 went well for me, I came 5^th overall at the British Championships at U12 and I became the British Champion on the vault, winning a gold medal and came second on the pommel horse winning a silver medal. Our club came 1^st in the British U12 and U14 Team Championships where I was a member of both teams. I was invited to compete in a competition in Croatia, I managed to qualify for the vault final and came second.

During the latter half of 2007 I had been training hard in preparation for the British Championships in November, but unfortunately on the eve of the competition I was rushed to hospital with very severe stomach pains and was diagnosed with appendicitis. At the time I would have been competing I was in the operating theatre having my appendix taken out, I was gutted! I was back doing light training two weeks later and gradually built up my training programme over the next two months.

My first competition back after my operation took place in March this year and was the London Open where gymnasts from all around the UK competed. I came 5^th overall and was very pleased. In 2008 our club unfortunately didn’t retain the U14 title but we finished a close 2^nd. I individually had a good competition and again came 5^th. I went to the National Set work Championships in Newcastle and finished a disappointing 11^th. After that I was off to Pegasus down in Maidstone, I finished 11th again! I went to Wales with my club for a weekend to compete against the Welsh team. The U14 team won of which I was a member, I came 5^th overall and 2^nd on Parallel Bars just behind my team mate Toby. We had a great time in Wales going as a team and meeting the Welsh team was really good.

At the end off 2008 I’ll again be competing in the British Championships. I’ll hopefully get 2 places better and get on the podium. I hope to go back to Croatia again in October and go 1 place better winning the vault final. Also at the end of 2008 the British U14 team competition in November and we’ll hopefully snatch our title back from South Essex.

During the summer I have no competitions coming along so my coach is going to work on building up my strength and flexibility.

My aim for this year is to make the national squad. My two best friends are on the national squad so I’d like to join them.