A TALENTED young gymnast from Risca is crowdfunding his way to Israel to represent Great Britain at the European Acrobatics Championships in October.

Dylan Howells, 18, has been training in gymnastics for four years, and trains six days a week for 20 hours in Bristol to hone his craft.

He performs routines in Acrobatic Gymnastics, and has represented Wales in several competitions in gymnastic tumbling and acrobatics before taking the move to train outside of Wales to further his ambition to represent Great Britain.

And now Dylan has been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2019 European Acrobatics Championships, which will be held in Israel in October. But, in order to take his place alongside the country’s other top gymnasts, Dylan needs to raise £1,800 to be able to afford the trip, and has launched a fundraising campaign to help make his dream a reality.

South Wales Argus:

(Acrobatic gymnast Dylan Howells from Risca will be representing Team GB in Israe but needs help in funding his trip in October. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)

In order to make it onto the Team GB squad Dylan and his partner Lola had to perform a series of impressive feats. The first, named ‘static’, involved Dylan balancing Lola in his hands while she performed a headstand. Following this was ‘dynamic’ - or “throwing Lola about”, as Dylan calls it - which involves doing somersaults and catching his partner, followed by a combination of the two routines.

South Wales Argus:

(Dylan Howell's and his partner Lola practicing)

And, as if balancing Lola on his hands wasn’t enough, Dylan also had to manage studying for his GCSEs and A-levels - as well as an Argus paper round - while going through his gruelling training regime.

“I’ve just finished school, and there has been time’s where it’s felt like a lot,” he said.

“I do have to put many social things aside, but I also have a good social life in Bristol and have made so many friends by doing this.”

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South Wales Argus:

(Dylan showing us his gravity-defying skills)

Dylan, along with two other gymnasts, is also part of a performance act called The Acrochaps, who perform at special events.

“We wear funny Victorian outfits and put on moustaches to do different elements of gymnastics with comedy,” he added.

Susan Howell, Dylan’s mother, said: “Me and his dad are extremely proud. He has worked so hard and done so much extra training.”

The family have set up a GoFundMe page to help raise the funds so that Dylan can take his place on the plane to represent Team GB in Israel - and have already raised £1,345 of the £1,800 he needs.

For more information visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/european-championship-in-israel.