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Special Olympics: Lowestoft gymnastic trio win 18 medals

John Fairhall/BBC Grace, Simon and Jack standing in the gym. They are wearing their GB kits and have their necks.John Fairhall/BBC
Grace, Simon and Jack bagged many medals at the event

A trio from a town's gymnastics club have returned with 18 medals, including 10 golds, after competing for Great Britain at the Special Olympics in Germany.

Teenagers Jack, Grace and Simon train at Waveney Gymnastics Club in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

The Special Olympics is held around the world for adult and child athletes with learning disabilities.

Jack, 17, said it had been a "life-changing event".

The Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 finished last week and featured more than 7,000 athletes from about 190 countries.

Jack said it had been a "great experience".

"It was good to be part of the team and wearing the same kit and being part of something," he said.

"It was just the most fun I've had in my life."

'Absolutely amazing'

One of the best parts of the competition was meeting people from across the world, said Grace, 14, from Reedham in Norfolk.

She said: "It was absolutely amazing meeting different countries from all over the world."

The experience gave her the chance to "show the world what I can do" and "how far I've come".

Simon, 14, from Halesworth, Suffolk, said the experience had been a "wild ride".

He said: "To think I'm able to do this now after years of training, it feels like the work has paid off."

John Fairhall/BBC Alex Row, head coach in his coaching kit. He is standing in front of gymnastics matting and equipment.John Fairhall/BBC
Alex Row said he was proud of how much the athletes had grown as people

The trio have a close bond and Simon said seeing his friends do well was also special.

The three youngsters paid tribute to their coaches, who they credited with getting them this far.

Head coach of Waveney Gymnastics Club, Alex Row, said the experience was about more than just gymnastics and it had helped the athletes to grow as people.

"It's difficult to put into words what they've done. It's a fantastic job and they've done the club proud and themselves proud," he said.

"They've been out there learning, making good choices, commuting across two cities. It's not just about the sport, they've learnt so many life skills as well."

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