Gymnastics Athlete Victoria Loftus

Location: Kent

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Victoria is 15 years old, and lives in Rainham, Kent. She was born 12 weeks prematurely weighing just 1lb. 4oz., measuring just 10 inches long. She spent 4 and a half months in the Special Care Baby Unit situated in the former All Saints Hospital, Chatham, much of that time on an artificial breathing machine. She suffered many setbacks but slowly made progress. At the time she was the smallest baby ever to survive in the unit, and one of the smallest in the world. Despite this very rocky start to life Victoria has grown into a pretty, lively teenager who has a great zest for life and a love of gymnastics, despite having learning difficulties and a degree of hearing loss.

Victoria has participated in gymnastics for four and half years and her talent was obvious from her first competition in October 2002 in Poole, Dorset where she won a gold medal for her beam routine and a silver medal for her vault. She has continued to win medals at every competition she has entered since without fail and to date has won around thirty medals. This past year alone she has achieved the following:

February 2006 Special Olympics London Gymnastics Competition:

Gold – Bars
Gold – beam
Silver – Floor
Silver – Vault.

May 2006 Special Olympics National Gymnastics Competition

Gold– Bars
Gold – beam
Gold – floor
Gold – Vault
Gold – All round 11 – 15 age group.

June 2006 – We are proud to learn that Victoria has been selected to represent Great Britain in the Special Olympic World Games to be held in Shanghai, China 2007 – a fantastic achievement!

May 2007 – Kent County Floor and Vault Championship: Gold – Floor Gold – Vault

June 2007 – London Region 1st GMPD Championship - Gold

Victoria’s achievements are all the more impressive because her learning difficulties and hearing impairment affects her listening and communication skills. She has to concentrate and practice very hard to learn new moves and to remember the routines.

Victoria always trains to the best of her ability, and behaves impeccably at her training sessions. She initially trained for an hour a week at Gillingham Gymnastic Club, Chatham, increasing to 1 and half hours a week. She now trains for 12 hours a week at Flex. Gymnastics Club in Dartford Grammar School alongside another girl, Sarah Greenwood, from Istead Rise, who has also been selected for the World Games. They are now great friends. In addition, she has attended a number of training camps with the rest of the GB Gymnastic Squad and GB delegation located all around the UK.

In November, 2006 Victoria was named Medway Junior Sports person of the year, and bestowed the title of “Ambassador of Sport” for promoting her home region of Medway for the 2012 London Olympics. She is to be featured on the Medway 2012 website, where she has her own ‘blog’ and also in all the literature, videos and media that is being produced.

Outside gymnastics, Victoria loves music, and boybands and frequently attends concerts and record signings and attends a youth club for those with disabilities in Parkwood, Rainham. She still finds time somehow to do her homework!

Victoria now has this great opportunity to represent her country in her sport, and is training hard in preparation for the games. She is looking forward to the challenge that they will bring and hopes to repay the kindness of all those who have supported her in her quest with a medal or two!

TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ATHLETES OR COACHES, PLEASE CONTACT THE SOGB NATIONAL OFFICE.

TELEPHONE: 020 7696 5569 OR EMAIL TO: pr@sogb.org.uk