The British Olympic Association is pleased to announce that the following gymnasts have been selected to represent Great Britain as members of Team GB at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Sydney.
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Annika Reeder
Lisa Mason
Sharna Murray
Emma Williams
Kelly Hackman
Melissa Wilcox
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Craig Heap
Trampoline
Jaime Moore: Women’s Individual
Lee Brearley: Men’s Individual
Simon Clegg, Team GB’s Chef de Mission for the Olympic Games, said: ‘I am delighted to welcome these gymnasts into Team GB. I am particularly pleased that we have qualified a women’s gymnastics team and that two of our trampolinists will be in Sydney for the very first Olympic trampoline competition.’
For more information contact Mark Howell (ext. 213), Philip Pope (ext. 233) or Becki Middleton (ext. 215) in the BOA Press Office on 020 8871 2677.
Biographical information on Team GB gymnasts:
Annika Reeder
Age: 20
Club: South Essex
Best apparatus: Floor & Vault
Annika is the only gymnast in Team GB who took part in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. She is a two-time Commonwealth Games Gold medallist on Floor (1994 and 1998) and two-time British Overall Champion (1995 and 1999). She achieved the best overall result in the three Olympic trials and the 2000 British Championships in Guildford, July 7-9, where she won the Gold medal on floor, Silver in the all-around and on beam and Bronze on vault and asymmetric Bars.
Lisa Mason
Age: 18
Club: Huntingdon
Best Apparatus: Floor & Vault
At the age of 14 Lisa became the youngest ever British Senior Champion in 1996. Lisa the overall titles in 1997 and 1998, and won a number of medals in the Grand Prix series. She won Gold on the floor in Cottbus, Germany, in 1998, beating the top Russian stars Elena Produnova and Svetlana Khorkina. She is the 1998 Commonwealth Games Vault Champion and a member of the English team who won the silver medal in Kuala Lumpur. Lisa was also the best scorer for the Great Britain team at the 1999 World Championships in Tianjin, China and finished 26th in the individual all-around competition.
Sharna Murray
Age: 19
Club: Alderwood
Best Apparatus: Beam, All-around
Sharna was a member of the British Team at two World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1997 and Tianjin in China in 1999. She won two Bronze medals at the 1999 British Championships – in the overall and on beam. Sharna’s results include a 9th place at the 1998 European Championships and a 7th place in 1999 European Championships as a member of the British Team. In 1999 she was a member of the victorious Alderwood Gym Club team at the British Team Championships.
Emma Williams
Age: 17
Club: City of Liverpool
Best Apparatus: Vault & Beam
At this year’s British Championships Emma won the overall title and Gold medals on vault and beam. The latter happened on the day she celebrated her 17th birthday. Emma also won first place in the Great Britain international against Belarus on July 22.
Kelly Hackman
Age: 19
Club: Woking
Best Apparatus: Uneven Bars & Beam
Kelly’s first major competition was the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, when she contributed greatly to the English Team silver medal, finishing just outside the medals on Ubars and beam; 7th on floor and 10th in the all-around. In 1999 she won the Burrel Trophy for the highest score on floor at the British Team Championships in Bognor Regis. Reserve for the World British Team in Tianjin, China, Kelly made her way through to Team GB by winning three bronze medals at the British Championships in July.
Melissa Wilcox
Age: 17
Club: Easton
Best Apparatus: Floor & Overall
At the 1996 National Championships Melissa won three Silver medals and in 1997 she won four Gold medals: in the overall, on beam, floor and Ubars. She also has an impressive record of international achievements: Silver on floor at the 1996 Camberra Cup and the 1997 Great Britain against Russia; Bronze medal on floor at the 1997 Ploesti (ROM) International; Finalist on the Floor and the Overall (6th place) at the 1998 European Youth Olympic Days.
Craig Heap
Age: 27
Club: North Tyne
Best Apparatus: Rings
At 27, and having overcome a number of injuries and disappointments, Craig is the two-time British Overall Champion (1998 and 1999); Commonwealth Games Gold medallist as a member of the English Team in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, five times European and three times World British Squad member. He finished in 32nd position in the individual ranking at the last World Championships in Tianjin and was so convincing in the first two Olympic trials that at the last one, the British Championships in Wigan, 15th July no one could replace him as a number one British male gymnast.
Jaime Moore
Age: 20
Club: Northampton
Trampoline
Jaime is two-time Ladies British Senior Champion; two-time National Silver medallist; two-time National Synchronized Champion, five-times National Schools Champion and three-times National Junior Individual Champion.
Jaime won herself the right to compete in the Sydney Olympic Games at the 1999 World Championships in Sun City, South Africa. She won her second British overall title on July 15 in Sheffield.
Lee Brearley
Age: 20
Club: City of Salford
Trampoline
The two-time British Senior Overall Champion Lee excels with a very good set routine. His is artistic by nature and was on an Art course in the University before taking the decision to dedicate 2000 to his Olympic preparation. Lee performs with great elegance and this together with faultless trampolining could be his chance to break into the Finals.
Source: British Olympic Association