After a decade of successful coaching at Bulmershe Gymnastics Club, Mat Budsworth has decided to step back and return to his native north.
As Head of Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, he transformed the performance of the squad, and created winners at both national and regional levels.
This weekend was Mat’s last competition, and the boys took the final opportunity to do him proud with two of them excelling across the apparatus to become All Around Regional Champions – Max Kendall in the U18 age group and Oliver Hanson in the U8.
While Max and Oliver won the all around competition, and each secured five of the six individual apparatus competitions, numerous squad members won gold across pieces, including Josh Baldwin (U18) floor, and Benjamin Neville (U16) on rings.
Rio Chandiram (U14) narrowly missed out on the individual golds, but secured bronze in the all around competition. In the younger development age groups, the U9 boys performed strongly with golds for Eli Congram on rings, Oliver Salter on floor, and Louis Ajala on vault and high bar. Theodore Branker won the U8 vault competition.
Mat said: “This has been an awesome send off at the South Regional Championships. I’ve had the privilege of working with some excellent young gentlemen in my time at the club, and had the honour of watching them grow up into fine young adults.
“The boys made me proud today by smashing it at the Regional Champs, bringing home plenty of silverware.”
Gymnasts Josh Baldwin, Max Kendall and Benjamin Neville had all grown up with Mat over the last 10 years, and were saddened at the departure.
Melissa Baldwin, Josh’s mum was heartbroken, said: “I am so proud of everything Josh has achieved at Bulmershe. It was amazing to see the boys all having a great time and supporting each other.
“They have been such a close group of lads with an extremely tight friendship one which I hope they never lose.”
