Sweeney set for Sugarloaf gymnasts trip to Wembley make national squad
LOCAL girls Ally Naughton and Rosie Davis of Sugarloaf Gymnastics have both earned places on the Gymnastics Ireland National Development Squad.
Last month the governing body released the names of the gymnasts making up the National Squad teams for 2018.
Ally trains up 15 hours a week within the competitive Squad and has done gymnastics since age 4.
She had a very successful first competition year in 2016/2017. In May at the Level 2-4 All Around competition
Ally took the silver medal in the Level 2B Under 7 age category. Through these results she qualified to compete at the 2017 National Super Series Competition in June 2017 where the top 8 highest scoring gymnasts in their respective levels and apparatus qualified and earned a place to compete.
The competition was tough given that these gymnasts qualified were the best of the best. Here Ally took gold on Bars.
Ten year old Rosie Davis trains up to 18 hours per week and has also earned a place on the National Development Squad for 2018.
A massive achievement given that she has earned a place for a third year in a row.
Rosie too has been involved in gymnastics since age 4 and to date has had some excellent competition results.
In the last year she also qualified to the National Super Series Competition but had to sit it out in as she was competing at an international competition at the Zuri-Oberland Cup in Uster, Switzerland in May 2017 where the Sugarloaf team placed 3rd.
Just last recently Rosie won the All Around silver medal in Level 4 Plus U11 competition posting excellent high scores on all apparatus.
Places for the National Development Squad were more difficult to achieve for 2018 as the places available reduced from 45 in 2017 to just 25 meaning competition was extremely tough.
Both girls began their gymnastics journey within the recreation and mini gymnastics programs at Sugarloaf Gymnastics and aspire to continue through the National Squad program, hoping to compete for Ireland on the international stage once they are in age.
Both gymnasts are proud members of Sugarloaf Gymnastics in Kilcoole, North Wicklow’s biggest and most established gymnastics training centre.
They are now taking bookings for their Summer Gymnastics program.
Full information can be found on www.sugarloafgymnastics.ie AT the age of 23, Pierce Sweeney looks set to play in Wembley for the second time in his career. But he’ll be hoping that it goes better for him this time around.
The Exeter City defender will hope to play his part on Monday as his side take on Coventry City at 3pm in the League Two playoff final. The prize for the victors will be a place in League One in 2018/19.
Ex-Bray Wanderers ace Sweeney has been here before though.
The former U-19 international player of the year was introduced after 58 minutes as Exeter fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Blackpool at the same stage.
Sweeney now has another season under his belt though and comes into the final in fine form having grabbed two assists for City in their semi-final second leg 3-1 success over Lincoln Town.
Sky Sports will broadcast the decider live.