Matt and Mylissa are inter-regional champions
2 May 2010

Mylissa Jones and Matt Simpson have become Honiton's first ever inter-regional champions, after beating the best preparation grade partnerships from other regions around England.

The talented pair, who train three times per week in the competition group at Honiton Gym Club, put in an excellent performance to take the top spot in the prep B mixed pair competition.

Hannah Dacre, who coaches the pair, said: "This is the pair's first medal on the national scene.  At this level it's all about preparing the gymnasts for the future, so it's essential that their moves are performed with flawless execution.  And this is where Matt and Melissa excelled.  They were smart, crisp, and had very few technical errors.  That, added to their characterful performance, put them clearly in front of the competition."

In all, Honiton gymnasts brought home quite a tally from the inter-regional finals, with four medals in total.  Buster Tutcher and Charlotte Bevis put in a good performance, claiming the silver medal in the grade one mixed pair competition, and Matt Simpson claimed his second medal of the competition with prep B boys' pair partner Josh Cox, also finishing in second.  Regional novice trio champions Kaisha Dessalines-Wright, Charlotte Drawer and Saffy Herbert took the bronze medal in their category.

Hannah added: "The quality of Honiton Gym Club's performances was excellent, and it's rewarding to know that our gymnasts are starting out on the right foot, giving them the best possible chance of success in the future."

All Honiton gymnasts that made it through to the finals put in good performances, with many others narrowly missing out on podium places.

Full results from the competition
Prep B girls' pairs
Emma Saunders and Sharna Curley - 5th
Emma Tipton and Jasmine Waterfield - 6th

Prep B mixed pairs
Matthew Simpson and Mylissa Jones - 1st
Ben Mason and Hollie Barkowski - 5th

Grade 1 mixed pairs
Buster Tutcher and Charlotte Bevis - 2nd

Prep B men's pairs
Josh Cox and Matthew Simpson - 2nd

Novice trio
Kaisha Dessalines-Wright, Charlotte Drawer and Saffy Herbert - 3rd

Grade 1 girls' trio
Rebecca Lawrence, Rebecca Fullard, and Sharna Curley - 5th