A perfect ten for young gym coach

Award-winning gymastic coach Nia Thomas

The recipe for sporting success is a simple one, says award-winning coach Nia Thomas, 'hard work'.

The 23-year-old's dedication to her sport has just won her an award from the Sports Council for Wales.

A former competitor herself, Nia was declared Young Coach of the Year for her work with gymnasts.

Although she has a full-time job, she still coaches a group of youngsters in rhythmic gymnastics on six days every week.

She works with the Elite Squad in Llanelli Academy and the Welsh Prep and Advanced Squads.

Under her guidance they are climbing the ranks in Britain and internationally and she has consistently produced British champions and medal winners across several age categories.

She said: "They have all worked really hard to get where they are. The gymnasts give up a lot and are really dedicated, which makes my job a lot easier - I really enjoy working with them."

She has taken the Welsh National Squad gymnasts to compete in Poland, America, Portugal and Finland.

Her own involvement in the sport began at the tender age of three, and her hero was the first Olympic gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10, at the Montreal Olympics, Nadia Comaneci.

So how did she react when she found out about her own most recent award? "I knew I had been nominated, but winning was a very big shock," she said.

"It is really nice to have your work recognised, but it's also nice just to be able to help others."