Published Date:
15 January 2009
A YOUNG man from Leeds has helped spring a major surprise at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival by winning gold in the men's team gymnastics.
Ashley Watson, 16, a high bar and parallel bar specialist was one of four boys who won Britain's first gold at the five-day event in Sydney which is an important stepping stone for competing at the Olympics.
The men's team of Watson, Reiss Beckford, Sam Oldham and Max Whitlock took heart from the women's bronze-medal winning performance and against all expectation beat China and Australia to take Team GB's first gold medal of the festival.
Watson has been a gymnast since the age of seven and is a member of the City of Leeds Club.
He said: "I had a really good high bar today. I tried to relax and it seemed to work for me, I came off very pleased.
"The women got bronze so we thought we had better up our game today and to win gold is just amazing."
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Last Updated:
15 January 2009 3:00 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Yorkshire
