Olympic hopefuls Sam Hunter & Sophie Wells

By Nottinghamshire Life on November 30th 2011

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Recent disappointment in the Tokyo World Championships in October has kept Great Britain’s gymnasts even more focused on 2012.

The team has to succeed in the next qualifiers at the O2 Arena in early January to ensure Olympic hopefuls get to represent GB in London 2O12.

One of these athletes is Chilwell-based Sam Hunter, 23, an all-round gymnast who came 9th in the World (at the Rotterdam World Championships) in 2010.

However, a difficult year this year with injuries means Sam’s place as one of the five GB gymnasts for the Olympics is still not guaranteed.

Sam, who first started gymnastics as  a five-year-old, and has represented his country since he was 12, remains focused.

‘It would be a lifetime ambition achieved to reach the Olympics, but we are not looking too far ahead - just to January and the qualifiers,’ he says. ‘It has been a tough year with injury for me as well - I just hope next year is better - in Olympics year.’

Sam is a Christian, and says his faith has helped him remain strong this year. Nutrition, practice and vital teamwork with fellow gymnasts in the coming weeks are all ingredients Sam hopes will help him and colleagues succeed next month in the continued pursuit of Olympic glory.

Sam, a member of the Hinckley Gymnastics Club, trains at Loughborough University, and is also sponsored by the EWS education trust which is a scheme set up by railway company DB Schenker.

The village hotel in Chilwell let him use their facilities to help with his training and recovery. ‘This support and that of Nottinghamshire County Council has been invaluable, helping me to pay costs and concentrate on my sport,’ he adds.

Sam received £2,012 in the county council’s Shining Stars Fund, the same as para-equestrian Sophie Wells. Sophie said: ‘It helps with travel costs and helps to pay the cost of entering competitions which is crucial to success in my sport.’

Sophie, 21, from Harby, is bidding to secure one of five places in the GB Paralympics dressage squad.

She is a double World Paralympic dressage champion and holds a string of other honours.

But she and colleagues face the longest wait for selection of everyone who will compete at London 2012 - as dressage is the final squad announced, in early July.

But far from being anxious about the wait, Sophie said: ‘In dressage I think we have to use the extra time to our advantage. There will be tension as the Olympic hype builds, but it gives us extra time to get ready and into the best shape and form possible.’

Sophie, who trains at stables in Papplewick under the guidance of trainer Angela Weiss, who has been a Grand Prix dressage competitor, could compete on either of two horses - Pinocchio or Valerius - and the delay in Paralympic selection also allows for the all important health clearance of athletes’ horses.

Sophie has ridden horses since the age of eight, and represented GB since the age of 15 - making London 2012 would be her lifetime ambition.

But her personal courage and determination has been evident since before she was even born, suffering in her pre-term birth development with amniotic band syndrome, which left her being born with the loss of some fingers and a loss of feeling in key nerves in her body. As a result, one challenge she has faced is a lack of sensation in her feet, yet she has learnt to overcome such a huge hurdle in her life with her determination.

She added: ‘I am not superstitious but I carry a little card my trainer gave me when I was 14 which carries a colourful but philosophical phrase - which basically translates to mean keeping positive whatever happens in life!’

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