Young gymnast ‘thrilled’ to take home top prize

A TOP young gymnast has somersaulted her way to Ireland’s first international gold medal for tumbling.

A huge group of friends and supporters were at Cork Airport yesterday to give Aoife Kiely, 13, a hero’s welcome home after her win at the Portuguese Open International.

Aoife, who was competing with the Irish team at under-14 level, won Ireland’s first gold medal in the complex tumbling discipline, beating 19 top tumblers from seven countries.

The sport involves extremely difficult and complex back-flips and somersaults performed on a 25-metre sprung track.

Aoife’s gold medal from Portugal is the sport’s highest level in European competition. She spoke yesterday of the moment she was told she’d won, as her proud mother, Deirdre, looked on from the crowd.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” she said. “It took a lot of hard work and a lot of hours training. I thought I’d done well because I did all my landings well. But I was thrilled when they called out my name. I was really happy.”

She also paid tribute to Ballincollig Gymnastics Club coaches Sandra O’Leary and John O’Mahony and Irish coach Craig Filmer for their help.

The second-year student at Crosshaven secondary school, who was back at school yesterday afternoon, is now targeting the World Tumbling Championships in Canada this November with Irish trials in Cavan at the weekend.

Coach Sandra O’Leary described her as one of the country’s most exciting gymnastic talents.

It is hoped the sport will be recognised by the International Gymnastics Federation in time for inclusion in the 2012 Olympics in London.

If this happens, Ms O’Leary said Aoife would be a serious Olympic medal prospect.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with her success,” she said. “She is a fantastic kid and lovely to train. She has a long future in gymnastics.”

Aoife travels to Ballincollig four times a week to train. She is a member of the Irish tumbling squad and has several national medals.

She competed in Portugal at the weekend with Karyn Toomey, from Ovens, a Ballincollig clubmate.

Meanwhile, two other club members, Alison Hayes and Louise Kelly, are heading to Geneva in two weeks for a major international Sports Acrobatics competition.