Fromeside gymnast Lydia Hayden won a bronze medal in her first ever national competition.

The 12-year-old received the medal for her performance in the vault at the British Espoir Challenge Championships in Guildford.

She worked hard in preparation, achieving new skills to compete for the first time at this meet. Hayden started on beam, and, although a little nervous and wobbly, included a tuck back somersault as part of her new list of elements to achieve a fall-free routine to start the competition. Next up was vault, with an extremely well executed and dynamic piked tsukahara, nailed on landing and gaining a nod from the judges to acknowledge their contentment. The next apparatus was floor, and Lydia opened her routine with a stunning double twisting back somersault, following with good leaps in a tourjette full, another new skill, continuing with well danced choreography and finishing with a full twisting somersault. Hayden finished on bars, with a newly constructed routine including two new elements, but she had a couple of falls, to incur large penalties. The highlight of the day, however, was coming third in the vault.