Abi homecoming marks the start of competition season

Abi Martin returned from the Paris Olympic Games with a spectacular homecoming event at the South Devon School of Gymnastics.

Abi, 16, performed brilliantly in helping Team GB to finish fourth in the all-around event and, as Nikki Tucker from the Paignton-based team explained, her homecoming party was a chance to raise some valuable funds ahead of a return to competition for the club gymnasts.

“It was something special for the club to celebrate together with Abi and we had a load of people attend for pictures and signed photographs with our Olympian,” said Tucker.

“We used the event as a fundraising exercise for the club with stalls, games and activities, as well as the ever-popular ‘soak the coach’, where people pay money to throw wet sponges at the coaches. We raised a nice amount of money for new equipment for all our members.

“We are back into competition season now, these run from September to November and then again from March.

“For Abi, she has moved on to a sports course at South Devon College and will be training with us in the gym, with a whole list of new skills she wants to practise. Her next competition will be the English Championships at the end of February next year.

“After returning from the Olympics, Abi returns for full-time sessions with us and then she will head back to the National Centre at Lilleshall as we approach competition season. I think the next national squad is in December.”