Watch: Olympic medallist among performers in Christmas display at Nottingham Gymnastics Academy
Olympian Sam Oldham was among the performers at the Nottingham Gymnastics Academy's Christmas performance
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Watch: Nottingham Gymnastic Academy’s Christmas display
An Olympic medallist and a European champion were among the performers in a Christmas display at the Nottingham Gymnastics Academy.
Every Christmas, the academy gives students past and present the chance to show off their talents in a variety of different disciplines.
Among the performers was 24-year-old Olympian Sam Oldham who won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the team gymnastics event.
He said: “The Christmas display is really important for the young guys because they don’t get too many opportunities to show their parents what they’ve been working on.
“It really is a culmination of all their hard work and the hard work of their coaches so they can enjoy it and have fun.
“It’s the hardest sport to do but the most enjoyable – there’s not many where you can throw yourself around, do flips and go into a foam pit and that’s why I started the sport.”
Also performing was 18-year-old all-round European champion Ellie Downie.
She said: “I’ve been at Notts Gymnastics Academy since I was three or four years old where I was in pre-school classes and then stayed throughout my career – it’s an amazing place to be.
“We have this display every Christmas and I think it’s just really nice for the kids to show their parents something different instead of just doing competitions.
“It’s so they can have fun and it’s what they really come to the gym for – to have fun and work hard.
“In Nottingham we have Sam, Becky and I in the top squads at the moment and we have a lot of upcoming boys coming through.
“We have a couple of girls in the GB squad as well so we’re a pretty good club for gymnastics I’d say and we’re getting better and better and hopefully it will continue.”
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