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Somersaults and Dreams: Going for Gold
First published in Great Britain 2016
by Egmont UK Limited
The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road, London W11 4AN
Text copyright © 2016 Cate Shearwater
Illustration copyright © 2016 Jongmee
The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted
First e-book edition 2016
ISBN 978 1 4052 6902 5
Ebook ISBN 978 1 7803 1426 6
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
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For all the West Country League A squad girlies, past and present: Eva, Georgia, Gaia, Nancy, Camille, Esme, Niamh, Phoebe, Livvy, Isobel, Abby. And Elsie, of course!
And for Lynne Hutchison whose remarkable return from injury inspired this story and who continues to inspire young gymnasts across the country.
Thanks.
Contents
CHAPTER Nine
CHAPTER Ten
CHAPTER Eleven
CHAPTER Twelve
CHAPTER Thirteen
CHAPTER Fourteen
CHAPTER Fifteen
CHAPTER Sixteen
CHAPTER Seventeen
CHAPTER Eighteen
CHAPTER Nineteen
CHAPTER Twenty
CHAPTER Twenty-One
CHAPTER Twenty-Two
CHAPTER Twenty-Three
CHAPTER Twenty-Four
CHAPTER Twenty-Five
CHAPTER Twenty-Six
CHAPTER Twenty-Seven
CHAPTER Twenty-Eight
CHAPTER Twenty-Nine
CHAPTER Thirty
CHAPTER Thirty-One
CHAPTER Thirty-Two
CHAPTER Thirty-Three
CHAPTER Thirty-Four
CHAPTER Thirty-Five
Acknowledgements
Ellie Trengilly stood in the middle of the biggest gym she’d ever seen in her life. A vast white space with a sea of blue mats spreading out in all directions, white brick walls stretching up to viewing balconies and vaulted ceilings, and an arch leading to a pitted area. The National Sports Training Centre was all so shiny-new and high-tech that if Ellie’s heart hadn’t been bursting with excitement, she would almost have felt homesick for the familiar tatty surroundings of her old Academy. Almost.
Ellie still couldn’t believe she’d been offered a place in the Junior GB gymnastics squad! Only twelve girls qualified for that honour each year. It meant they were invited to attend National squad camps like this one: a week of intensive training with top coaches at the National Sports Training Centre. It meant they were entitled to wear the coveted GB leotard, and it might – just might – mean a chance to compete for their country.
Of course, that was still a distant dream – for now, just being invited to National squad camp was enough for Ellie, as well as the fact that she was there with some of her best friends from the London Gymnastics Academy! Sweet, sensible Bella and Kashvi the tomboy were there, and even crazy little circus girl Katya had been offered a place – incredible, since she’d only started formal gymnastics training less than a year ago. And then there was Scarlett, Queen of the Beam – although Ellie didn’t really consider her a friend!
Not all of her old Pre-Elite squad mates had made it into National squad, though. Camille had missed out due to injury, and Nancy . . . Ellie sighed at the thought of her best friend, who had given up gymnastics last year. Nancy’s twin brother, Tam, was here with the boys’ squad, but it wasn’t quite the same as having Nancy herself here to share everything with.
‘Welcome to National squad camp.’ Ellie’s thoughts were dragged sharply back to the present by the small, elegant, grey-haired figure of Barbara Steele, head national coach. She was addressing the twelve Junior girls