Clondalkin poised to host GymFest 2019
CLONDALKIN Gymnastics Club will, this Saturday, stage the Clondalkin 2019 GymFest in Tallaght Leisure Centre.
The first time the club has played host to such an event, the tournament will cater for display teams from all over the country, involving no less than 260 gymnasts.
Clondalkin gymnasts are all set to take part in the 2019 GymFest
Some 14 teams will be in action, including the host club’s Precision Display squad which is the highest ranked in its field in Ireland.
Put together back in 2008, this Clondalkin squad has enjoyed a huge amount of success, winning silver in the World Championships in Norway two years ago.
The team first represented Ireland at the World Championships in Austria in 2009 winning a bronze medal, before they continued on to capture trophies in Leeds in 2011 and again in 2012 when they also travelled to Glasgow and won both individual honours and the overall team trophy.
They were back in Scotland in 2013 to defend their title and the following year the team took part in a competition in Disneyland Paris where they scooped silver medals before returning to Glasgow in 2015 and again captured the trophy.
The current team includes three members of the original panel from back in 2008 namely Sophie Toomey, Fiona Tapley and Emma O’Brien all of whom will be looking forward to the opportunity of competing on home soil.
“We had this bright idea of organising a GymFest and then we were worried ‘what if no one turns up’ but the response we’ve had has been absolutely overwhelming” said Clondalkin Gymnastics Club’s Julia Toomey.
“Display gymnastics is overlooked in Ireland, not in other countries, but just judging from the level of interest and the numbers taking part we feel that next year’s event will be even bigger and better” she added.
