A-LEVEL student, Vada Finniear is celebrating his selection for Team GB’s gymnastics squad after winning bronze in the World Championships held between March 21 and April 5 in China.

The 18-year-old, who is studying at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, is also a member of Harriers Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, based at Patchway Sports Centre, and has already achieved huge success including the Pat Wade Tournament in November 2014, and representing Great Britain at the European Championships in Riesa, Germany in October 2015.

Finniear, from Pucklechurch, had trained hard in preparation for the event, where he competed in the mixed pair’s age group 13-19 with his partner Kennedi Cross.

In their group there were 12 partnerships. After qualifications the top eight went through to the finals.

He said: “Our first routine wasn’t our best so we were worryingly placed seventh, but after calming down a bit our second routine placed first, so we qualified overall in fifth for the finals.”

After a nervous final round, the pair were placed third, Russia in second and America were first, winning a bronze for Great Britain.

Finniear added: “The competition was so exciting, and we never imagined we would get a medal, so that made the competition even more memorable.

“It can be difficult to juggle gymnastics training and college work. If there were a competition abroad I would have to miss college and catch up when I got back, but then if I have exams coming up I would have to miss training so I have extra time to revise.

“Somehow, even though I’ve been doing gym for nearly 10 years, I’ve only had one competition clash with an exam, so I’ve been very lucky.

“Whenever someone has asked me what I want to achieve with gymnastics in the future the one thing I’ve always said is to compete in the world championships as a member of Team GB – I’m ecstatic to have actually done it.

“It’s the biggest competition for Acrobatic Gymnastics and Team GB has some amazing gymnasts, so it was really exciting to be competing alongside them.

“Now we have a friendly competition in Swansea, then an international in Italy before the British Championships in July.

“My partner, Kennedi Cross, and I are the first gymnasts from our club to have been selected for the World Championships, our coach was also selected as a Great Britain coach for the team.

“After I complete my A-levels I want to apply for a Sign Language course, because I want to work as an interpreter. I would also love to be a circus acrobat sometime in the future too.”