GYMNASTICS

Those involved in Welsh gymnastics can spend this weekend reflecting on the prospect of having their first artistic gymnast at an Olympic Games since 1996.

Ruby Evans, a 16-year-old from Cardiff, looks well set to break that barren sequence by winning selection for the Great Britain squad for the Paris Olympics next year.

Earlier this summer, she was sitting her GCSEs as a pupil at Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr in the capital.

On Wednesday, she was in Antwerp competing for GB on her senior debut and battling it out at the World Championships against legends of the sport such as the American Simone Biles.

“It definitely feels different in real life than watching it on telly!” said Evans after helping GB to a sixth-placed finish, which was a relative disappointment after their qualification in second place.

Evans and her Great Britain teammates – Jessica Gadirova, Ondine Achampong, Alice Kinsella and Georgia-Mae Fenton – ultimately failed to get among the medals after putting a total score of 161.864 on the board.

Biles inspired USA (167.729) to a record seventh consecutive title ahead of Brazil, who secured silver and France, who took bronze.

But the stylish and mature performance of  Evans – who competed on vault and floor – was a major positive for Great Britain.

“It was an amazing experience to be out here with all these experienced gymnasts,” Evans told the BBC afterwards.

“Obviously things didn’t go exactly the way I wanted but I had fun.”

“It’s loud here, it’s the biggest competition I’ve ever done and, it’s a bit of a shock. It feels great being from Wales as not a lot of us from Wales get to experience this.”

It has already been quite some journey so far for Evans.

She’s gone from a talented emerging young gymnast with Cardiff Olympic Gymnastics Club, to an elite star taking on the world.

NETBALL

The Cardiff Dragons continue their preparations for the new season, having made an appointment on the coaching side.

They have confirmed Jen Barrett as their new assistant coach for the upcoming Super League season.

Barrett is also the current assistant coach for the Wales Netball national academy U21 squad and will work alongside Dragons head coach Jill McIntosh.

Barrett said “I’m extremely honoured to have been given this opportunity to be a part of the coaching team for the Cardiff Dragons this season. 

“The group is incredibly exciting, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve.”