Young sports star Naomi, 11, is named Female Gymnast of the Year at one of Britain’s top clubs

It is a club home to Olympians and national squad gymnasts.

But young York sports star Naomi Sharp has beaten them all to the title Female Gymnast of the Year.

The award was given to Naomi, from Copmanthorpe, at Leeds Gymnastics Club this weekend. The club is home to 1,200 gymnasts, including current Olympic bronze medallist from Rio, Nile Wilson.

She joins an elite list of individual gymnasts who have won the club’s top award.

Tough training regime

A Year 7 pupil at Manor CE Academy in York, Naomi makes the trip to the club’s Seacroft base four times a week, training 12 hours every week, right through the year whatever the weather.

Already the young achiever has had her share of lows to go with the highs. After a successful early career in artistic gymnastics, Naomi was told aged eight that she was too tall to continue as an artistic gymnast.

By this time Naomi had grown to love the sport and switched to acrobatic gymnastics. She swapped the beam, floor, vault and uneven bars, for working in partnerships, performing acrobatic moves, elements of dance and tumbling on the floor, set to music.

Thanks to the world class coaching at Leeds, Naomi has flourished as a gymnast, culminating in receiving the club’s top accolade at the weekend.

British Championships target

Naomi received her award from ex-international gymnast Lisa Gannon, who has presented the gymnastics stadium programme at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Naomi recently showed off her gymnastic skills at Leeds Arena in front of nearly 5,000 spectators as part of Leeds Gymfest.

She is hoping to qualify for the British Championships at the Yorkshire Region National Development Programme Qualification Competition in March.