Tyesha Mattis crowned British Junior Champion

Mar 22, 2013 by Anne Phillips

Competition is underway in Liverpool for the 2013 British Championships. Tyesha Mattis claimed the first all around crown of the weekend, as she won the British women's junior all around title. Below is the recap from British Gymnastics.

L to R: Amy Tinkler, Tyesha Mattis, and Ellie Downie. Photo courtesy of British Gymnastics.

22/3/13: Tyesha Mattis from East London Gymnastics has been crowned the 2013 Women’s Junior all-around British Champion with South Durham’s Amy Tinkler following in second and Notts Ellie Downie in third.

First year junior and 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Champion, Tyesha dominated the competition from start to finish. She began by performing the most difficult vault of the day, a strong double twisting Yurchenko and her difficulty on bars was equally impressive. She looked confident on beam as she moved smoothly through her skills and her powerful and complex tumbling on the floor was easily enough to take the title with a score of 55.050.

Watch Mattis on floor. Video by BGtv:

Tyesha: “I’m really happy with myself, I just wanted to try my best. Last year I was injured and just did bars, so to come and do all-around and win is amazing. I wasn’t too nervous which was good, I had a bit of an idea of how the competition was going and knew I was doing well and then to see the final results was brilliant, I’m really happy.”

Amy took the silver with some hugely difficult work across the four apparatus. A clean routine on beam with an almost flawless standing full twisting somersault and a floor routine packed with difficulty that included a double straight, full in pike out and a double pike somersault gave her an overall score of 53.800 and second place.

Amy: “I’m really happy - I went clean on all pieces and that what I was here for. I wasn’t expecting to take silver as I’m first year junior so it feels amazing. I was a little bit nervous coming in to it but the experience of competing in events like the Australian Youth Olympic Festival really helped me and I’m very proud of what I achieved.”

Ellie took the final podium place (51.550). She unfortunately had to count fall on beam on which was her first piece of apparatus but she fought back strongly on floor with some hugely difficult tumbling and had clean and confident performances on the bars and vault. The power she displayed was incredible and we will surely see some difficult skills as she progresses.

Ellie: “There were some really good routines today, vault was good and I’m happy with my new bars dismount but the fall on beam first piece set me back. My coach Claire just told me after that to go out on floor and show off and that’s what I did. Overall I’m happy and its set up the year well going into the British Teams event and then hopefully the European Youth Olympic Festival.”

Other notable performances came from East London’s Chantelle Halford who took 4th place with Amy’s South Durham teammate, Jade Armstrong who had a beautiful floor routine to qualify to Sundays finals and took 5th all-around. Europa’s Ellis O’Reilly took 6th place.

For more information and results, click here.

Top 12 - 2013 British Championships Junior All Around Results: