She bent over backwards
The Queen’s baton carriers include champions and hopefuls like gymnast Phillipa
GORDONVALE gymnast Phillipa Beckham has tumbled, jumped and danced her way to success, earning the ultimate prize for her hard work and dedication.
The 14-year-old from South Cairns Gymnastics has been chosen as a Commonwealth Games baton bearer.
She will join hundreds of other local identities when the Queen’s Baton Relay makes its way to Cairns in March 2018.
Phillipa has excelled in her gymnastics this year, competing at the Queensland Club Championships and Junior Regional Championships where she gained qualification for the Junior State Championships.
“My dad nominated me (to take part in the Queen’s Baton Relay) for the experience and for my achievements this year,” Phillipa said. “I’m excited for it.” She said her favourite apparatus was floor, where she could dance around and show off her skills.
Gymnastics coach Briony Yoshida said Phillipa was a hard working student, training with the gym four days a week.
“We’re very proud of her and her parents are very proud of her, it couldn’t have gone to a harder working gymnast,” she said.
“One of the things she is most excited about is being a baton bearer alongside people who have inspired her, like gymnast Lauren Mitchell who was part of the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
“There’s about 10 international representative gymnasts who are taking part in the relay and they’ve inspired Phillipa to train the way she does now.”
The Queen’s Baton will arrive in Brisbane on December 24, to start the final leg of its journey.
Since its launch from Buckingham Palace on March 13, the Queen’s Baton has been passed between thousands of people across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe, building excitement for the Commonwealth Games.
The baton will arrive on the Gold Coast for the XXI Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on April 4, 2018, where the Prince of Wales will remove Her Majesty’s message from the baton and read it aloud to declare the games open.