Nicole Burns and Grace Harrison recently switched their club leotards for university colours as they competed in the British University and College Sport Championships.

Known universally as BUCS, the events took place in Aldershot, Hampshire where the two Manx Gymnastics Centre of Excellence members performed extremely well.

Nicole, who currently trains at Leeds Gymnastics Club and who is in her first year of higher education, was representing Leeds Beckett University at this event for the first time.

She competed on all four apparatus, performing especially well on the uneven bars and vault. Because of her high-quality, clean routines on these pieces, Nicole gained the silver medal position on the vault and received the uneven bars championship title.

Her impressive all-around performance led her to claim the Women’s British University Champion’s title and contributed to the third place finish for the Leeds Beckett University team.

Speaking afterwards, she said: ’I’m delighted to have won my first national title. Not only for myself, but also for my coaches in the Isle of Man and at Leeds Gymnastics Club who worked so hard to prepare me for the event.’

Grace, now in her third year of study, and a previous winner of this competition, represented Loughborough University.

She was only able to compete on beam and floor due to injury, but she performed extremely artistic and well-executed routines on these two apparatus.

Her routines were well received by the judges as she came away from the competition as beam and floor champion, retaining these titles from last year’s event.

Grace would like to join Nicole in thanking Gennady Tysganov from MGCE as well as her university coaching team, and would also like to extend her thanks to Isle of Man Sport Aid and TLC Business Solutions for all the continued support.

After a flying start to the season, both women are now focussing on their upcoming competitions, the highlight of which will include next month’s English championships.