Wellington College – vaulting ambition: a gold medal for Jasper

Congratulations to Wellington College student Jasper Smith-Gordon on his gold medal-winning vault at the London Open Gymnastics Competition.

Jasper wowed the judges with his 1.5 vault to take the gold medal in the Under 18 competition at the Redbridge Sports Centre in London. Jasper’s vault of one somersault with two and a half twists is often competed by the world’s top gymnasts – it would not have been out of place at the Olympic Games or World Championships. Jasper commented: ‘This was my first time competing the vault and I landed it (almost) perfectly, scoring a 14.75 out of 15.2.'

After a courageous performance on the Floor – during which he decided to change his routine, adding ‘an extra full twist on a tumble’ – Jasper finished the competition in 8th place overall – an impressive performance, especially for someone competing two years above his age-group.