DORCHESTER YMCA saw 11 of its young gymnasts return from the Dorset Boys Floor and Vault championships with five medals.

For five of the club's younger competitors - Alex Burden, Cameron Rawcliffe, Max Otter, William Crankshaw and Zak Parker - it was their first time representing the YMCA and also their first experience of a full size sprung floor at the Port Regis School showpiece in Shaftesbury.

Burden, Rawcliffe and Parker all performed clean floor routines with Burden recording the second highest score in his group. Unfortunately, small errors on the vault saw Burden and Rawcliffe finish outside the medals but Parker secured a well-deserved silver medal.

Otter also performed well with only one minor mistake in his floor routine and two excellent vaults. However, like Burden and Rawcliffe, he was unlucky to miss out on a medal, finishing fourth.

The Weymouth Avenue-based charity saw Joe Tilsed, Daniel Davies, William Crankshaw and Jonathan Hoare all compete in the same group.

It was always going to be close between Davies and Hoare, and even the judges couldn't separate them. Both achieved a handspring over a vaulting table for the first time, and after good displays on the floor they were awarded joint first and both went home with a gold medal.

Tilsed took an excellent silver after a superb floor routine while Crankshaw, in a very tough group for his first competition, performed his floor routine well and executed two solid vaults.

Oakley Parker placed fifth in a very competitive group and Darwin Culley performed a good floor routine and two excellent vaults to finish fourth. But after missing out on a medal by just 0.1, Culley said: "I will get gold next year."

As he has performed at National level in the past, Callum Tilsed had to compete against a score rather than within a group.

His floor routine also had to include both forward and backward somersaults but a confident display saw Tilsed earn a gold medal.

Head of boys' gymnastics Karen Tilsed said: "I'm extremely pleased with all of the boys' efforts."

Coach Sam Welch added: "The boys showed a positive attitude and a desire to come back stronger next year."

Gymnastics classes at the YMCA run throughout the school year and have members ranging from babies to adults.

For more information on gymnastics, or to learn about the other activities available, contact 266467 or alternatively email dorchesterymca@btconnect.com