Subscribe to trusted local news
If you are accessing this story via Facebook but you are a subscriber then you will be unable to access the story. Facebook wants you to stay and read in the app and your login details are not shared with Facebook. If you experience problems with accessing the news but have subscribed, please contact subscriptions@thestrayferret.co.uk. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
08
Aug
'She has a determination to succeed': Harrogate gymnast wins US scholarship
A Harrogate gymnast has won a scholarship to study in the United States and test herself against some of the country's best athletes.
Georgina Gibson, 19, has received a full athletic scholarship to study at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and compete with their gymnastics team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Georgina has trained with Harrogate Gymnastics for the last 10 years, and has on many occasions represented the club at elite competitions such as the British and English Championships.
Her achievement is the result of an incredible amount of hard work and sacrifice.
She currently trains 20 hours a week, and has balanced her training alongside completing her exams. In Alaska, she will study a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, the science of human movement, exercise, and physical performance. She says she hopes to work in physiotherapy, and strength and conditioning coaching, after graduation.
'An accomplished athlete'
I asked her if it has been a challenge to juggle her training alongside her studies, but Georgina says that being so busy has helped her to work better and get the most out of her various pursuits.
A gymnast since she was just five years old, Georgina first decided three years ago that she wanted to push herself to try and continue her career in the US.
Her recruitment follows a lengthy process which involved keeping the Alaskan coaches up to date with her progress through email updates and zoom calls.
Marie-Sophie Boggasch, Georgina's new Alaskan head coach, said:
Georgina is an accomplished international athlete whose determination throughout the recruiting process left a lasting impression on our staff. Her powerful vaulting, competitive experience and unwavering belief that Alaska was where she belonged make her an outstanding addition to our program.
Georgina leaves to begin her new chapter in the US later this month.
As a member of the Alaskan team, she will travel to compete all across the nation, and face off against some of the world's best gymnasts on a weekly basis. NCAA gymnastics, though, is known for differing from the elite version of the sport through its entertaining routines, fashionable leotards, and strong emphasis on team spirit.
When I spoke to her, Georgina stressed that she felt lucky to have already experienced this kind of supportive team atmosphere growing up training in Harrogate.
There is no club I would rather have grown up in and I will always be grateful for everything Harrogate Gymnastics has given me. We are more like family than a team, and I will be proud to represent the club as I begin this exciting new chapter.
Harrogate Gymnastics is based at The Zone, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, and provides gymnastics opportunities from early years and recreational classes, through to competitive squad training.
Chloe Carey, Harrogate Gymnastics head coach, said:
To see a gymnast who has trained with us for 10 years preparing to continue her gymnastics career in Alaska is something the whole club can celebrate. It is a huge step for Georgina, both academically and athletically, and we are excited to see what she goes on to achieve.
Alaska was Georgina's first choice college in the US. She says she chose it because of its uniquely attractive location, and the supportive nature of the coaching staff.
She added:
Some people might feel nervous about moving to the other side of the world, especially somewhere as cold as Alaska, but there is no place I would rather choose. It feels like the perfect fit.
Her parents, Richard and Hayley Gibson, said of her success:
We are truly proud of what Georgina has achieved. Her journey in gymnastics, like so many, has been a mixture of cheers and tears, but the one constant has been her determination to succeed.
1