Okehampton gymnast Mason Parker-Groves celebrated his sixth place position at his first national British Gymnastics final at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham last month.

Mason, who is part of Okehampton’s trampoling club Okehampton Flyers, took part in the British Gymnastics National Age Group final at the end of June, successfully performing ‘three stylish routines.’

Though he did not come away with a medal, coach Vicki Pritchard called the result a ‘real achievement’ for a first national competition.

She said: ‘Mason has worked hard this year to increase his skill difficulty and perfect his technique to enter British Gymnastics nationals.

‘To come sixth in his first year of national competition, in the highest level of British Gymnastics competition children can enter is a real achievement.’

Mason has proven his talent as a gymnast having progressed quickly.

He competed in his first national Spring Cup event at the Telford International Centre in May and achieved above the required score to qualify for the British Gymnastics National Age Group Final.

He is working on increasing his routine difficulty for the English event this year and ahead of the British Gymnastics Spring Cup competitions next season.

The club also has other skilled gymnasts who are also training to increase their skill difficulty to compete at the Spring Cup and English events next season.

Okehampton Flyers is a not-for-profit community club that runs sessions seven days a week for recreational and competitive trampoline, DMT and tumbling for three to 18 year olds.

The club is currently running trials for its junior squads for 5-to-8-year-olds.

For more information contact Vicki Pritchard at [email protected], visit okehamptonflyers.org.uk or follow the club on Facebook and Instagram at @okehamptonflyers.