NEWPORT’S Jemima Taylor has been selected by Team GB for this summer’s European Youth Olympic Festival in Slovenia.

The 14-year-old is one of six gymnasts in the 39-strong team for the 17th edition of the competition, which runs from July 23 to 29 in Maribor, and is joined by compatriots Ellie Lewis and Alex Niscoveanu.

Artistic gymnast Taylor said: “I am absolutely amazed and feel it a complete honour to be selected to represent Team GB.

“I love doing gymnastics and want to keep progressing and make the most of every opportunity I get. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to take part in the European Youth Olympic Festival.”

“To be selected to be part of Team GB feels so unreal at the moment,” said 13-year-old Lewis, who hails from Bridgend.

“I always have a huge amount of pride when representing my home nation, so to get the opportunity to represent my sport alongside other athletes from other sports as part of Team GB will be an experience I won't forget.

“I have worked so hard with my coaches transferring up to junior level and to have our efforts come to this selection is a really proud moment.

“I am very much looking forward to the whole EYOF experience; it is a huge event with great meaning and I feel so privileged to be selected to be part of it.”

South Wales Argus: Welsh gymnast Alex Niscoveanu (Picture: British Gymnastics)Welsh gymnast Alex Niscoveanu (Picture: British Gymnastics) (Image: British Gymnastics)

Nisvoveanu, 17, hails from Penarth and trains at South Essex.

He said: “I always have a huge amount of pride when representing my home nation, so to get the opportunity to represent my sport alongside other athletes from other sports as part of Team GB will be an experience I won't forget.

“I have worked so hard with my coaches transferring up to junior level and to have our efforts come to this selection is a really proud moment.

“I am very much looking forward to the whole EYOF experience; it is a huge event with great meaning and I feel so privileged to be selected to be part of it.”

In addition another Welsh women’s artistic gymnast, 14-year-old Ffion Burgum – also from Bridgend – is a women’s reserve.

Welsh head national women’s artistic coach Tracey Skirton-Davies, who will lead Team GB’s gymnastics team in Slovenia, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have three girls in the line-up for EYOF; Jemima and Ellie as team members and Ffion as reserve.

“The girls are extremely hard-working and motivated to get as much experience as possible of a multi-sport event.

“I personally feel very privileged to be going as team leader for gymnastics to Slovenia in July, and to have Alex join us from the Welsh men’s team is an added bonus.”

Ellie (originally Pen-y-Bont Gymnastics Club), Jemima Taylor (originally City of Newport Gymnastics Academy) and Ffion (originally Fusion Gymnastics Wales) all train at the national centre at Sport Wales under the guidance of the national coaches.

Ema Kandalova, aged 14 from London, Jonas Rushworth, aged 17 from Leeds and Sol Scott, aged 16 from Huntingdon, are the other three gymnasts selected.

Maribor will welcome over 3,000 athletes from 48 countries with artistic gymnastics one of 11 Olympic sports that will make up the programme.