A YOUNG gymnast from Rhyl who trains in Bangor has qualified to compete at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics British Espoir Championships next year.

Macaya Alsop, who turns 12 on Friday, will be the first Bangor gymnast to compete at the event, which will be held in March 2023 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

This is after her recent success at Elite Compulsory 2 in May at Fenton Manor in Stoke, where she placed 15th overall in the UK and second on the uneven bars.

Ellie Hill, who has been Macaya’s personal coach at Bangor Gymnastics Club for five years, said: “It’s a massive achievement.

“She’s fabulous – really dedicated and hard-working, and she’s self-motivated, which helps!”

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Macaya travels from Rhyl five days a week to train at Bangor Gymnastics Club, and the Compulsory 2 grade which she passed is the highest level a gymnast of her age can compete at.

At the event next March, which she discovered she had qualified for last weekend, she will compete against all of the other gymnasts aged 12-13 on all apparatus: vault, uneven bars, beam and floor.

Macaya began her gymnastics journey in Rhyl and Prestatyn Gymnastics Club.

But when the club closed its doors, she moved to Bangor Gymnastics club, where she started training in the elite development squad.

She has previously also been selected for the Welsh squad.