Gymnastics Star Ana fixes it for rhythmic gym kids YOUNGSTERS at a fledgling Fylde sports club are celebrating after claiming a North West title in their first competition. A team from the Kirkham rhythmic gymnastics club swept all before them at the weekend with a faultless performance that netted four individual titles and the team award. Their success comes only two years after the sessions were started by former Romanian gymnast Ana Hanmer, 29, who herself claimed bronze at the European championships in 1993. She believes her stars of the future may be able to emulate her success. Ana, who lives on St Leonards Road in Blackpool, said: “I’m very proud of them. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, I had not been to a competition in England before. We had been practicing with the girls and they did really well. “We only had a few girls in the beginning but now there are 50 girls. I hope next year we can even more children in.” Ana now runs five separate classes at the expanding club, who train at Ribby Hall in Wrea Green, and coaches girls aged from four up to 12. The former Romania national champion, who competed in several World and European competitions, began coaching the next generation of talent when she moved to England four years ago. She added: “I started gymnastics when I was five in Romania and practiced for 15 years. “I’m very happy all the girls are coming to the sessions. It is a very feminine sport and the girls picks up good disciplines and skills.” The sport has become so popular in rural Fylde that youngsters are waiting to join the groups. Kirkham mum Annie Ward – whose daughter Rachel, 11, was part of the five girl winning team with Rosie Axom, 9, Amy Talbot, 9, Emily Hunter, 11 and Alisha Johnson, 11 - believes the girl’s achievement is fantastic. Annie said: “It was amazing, they were only put in to see how they could do this week. “Ana is brilliant and has worked really hard with them. It has got to be a good thing for the girls to take part in sport like this. “Rachel didn’t know anything about gymnastics when she joined. But she was absolutely brilliant.” Email us and tell us about your stories!