Gymnast upset at Olympics funding

Francesca Jones is Welsh champion and three times British champion

A gymnast who had her sights set on competing in the 2012 Olympics has been forced to give up full-time training after her funding was withdrawn.

Welsh and British rhythmic gymnastics champion Francesca Jones, 18, had been at the national athletics training centre at Lilleshall, Shropshire.

But after two-and-a-half years' training for seven hours a day she has had to leave after funds ran out.

British Gymnastics said "unfortunately" it could no longer provide the money.

Francesca, known as Frankie, had previously received the majority of her funding from UK Sport.

But coach Jo Coombs said after that was withdrawn about two years ago, British Gymnastics had tried to plug the gap.

However, because of the current economic climate, it was not able to carry on, Ms Coombs added.

For Frankie, who represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and is three times British champion, it is a "huge setback" in fulfilling her ambition of making it to the London Olympics.

I really want to keep training and get where I want to be - my goal was the Olympics and I think I had a realistic shot Francesca Jones

She has now had to drop out of the training academy and return home to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, where she can only train a couple of times a week and where the facilities are not to the standard she needs.

"It was a really big shock when the funding was withdrawn, really upsetting," said Frankie, whose family live in Pontypool, Torfaen.

"I think because my sport is not a medal prospect [for the Olympics] at the moment, it is not receiving the funding.

"But since I've been in Lilleshall, my ranking has gone up 30 places and I'm now about 55th in the world and the British number one.

"I really want to keep training and get where I want to be - my goal was the Olympics and I think I had a realistic shot. I'm not sure what will happen now."

'Catch 22'

In the meantime she will focus on spearheading the a Haven fun and fitness campaign which encourages young people to exercise and get active

Ms Coombs, coach of the national squad in Wales and also national development manager for Welsh Gymnastics, said UK Sport had initially withdrawn the funding that had enabled Frankie to go to Lilleshall as they prioritised money for sports with Olympic medal hopes.

"It's that Catch 22 thing," she said. "They won't fund sport unless there is a medal hope, yet we're never going to get to medal hope without financial help."

British Gymnastics had tried to plug the funding gap but could no longer continue to do so, she said.

"We had hoped that Frankie would get to the Olympics and that having a British person taking part would help publicise rhythmic gymnastics here," she said.

"It's not a huge sport in Wales but we do have four clubs - Llanelli, Haverfordwest, Barry and Cardiff.

"I think if we can show what a great sport rhythmic gymnastics is - particularly to watch - then more people would be attracted to it."

British Gymnastics confirmed it had "unfortunately" had to withdraw funding.