Fifth-form gymnast Chris O’Connor has made a triumphant return from injury to win individual gold at the U17 Celtic Cup, contested by Wales, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Chris was representing the Republic of Ireland at the competition, held at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff on the 20^th February, and his gold was his country’s first ever medal at this event. It was an all-round performance taking in all six pieces of apparatus – rings, high bar, parallel bar, pommels, vault and floor – and shows that Chris has made a full recovery and is once more a force to be reckoned with in the sport. 

Chris had been out of competition for the best part of a year with a string of injuries, including a broken foot, a badly damaged hand and wrist and a shoulder strain. Now, though, there should be no holding him as he contemplates a busy time ahead. The next big competition is the Junior European Championships in April, and we will be keeping a close eye on his progress and wishing him every success.