Penarth gymnast comes home
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SPORT | Gymnastics
Penarth gymnast Josh Cook will be back competing in Cardiff this weekend for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck – and his return could not be more timely as he targets a second Commonwealth Games.
The 21-year-old is currently at university in Chicago and was part of Team Wales on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018 and is one of the men’s artistic gymnasts battling it out to secure their spot for Birmingham this summer.
A shoulder injury forced him to miss the Men’s British Championships and Northern European Championships, both staged in Cardiff in 2021, but now he is looking forward to returning for the Welsh Artistic Championships.
Josh said: “The last year or two have been really difficult with various injuries and setbacks and, of course, training through the pandemic had its own challenges. But I am in a good place at the moment, chasing down my all-around scores again, which is really exciting.”
Cook was crowned Welsh all-around champion ahead of the last Commonwealth Games four years ago and it would no doubt boost his chances for Birmingham should history repeat itself.
He continued: “2018 was a highlight year for me in my transition into a senior gymnast.
“Becoming the Welsh senior all-around champion in the lead up to the Games that year was a big confidence boost.”
Cook was aged four when he joined Somersault Gymnastics Club before moving to YMCA Barry at the age of 10, where he trained regularly.
Competitive sailing runs in his family and he was a keen sailor himself but decided to concentrate on gymnastics.
He was the youngest Welsh male gymnast at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, at just 17. The following year, at the Northern Europeans in Iceland, he won gold on rings, bronze on parallel bars and was part of the Wales men’s team that won a silver medal.
He currently lives in Chicago, where he is studying Specialised Chemistry – as well as training and competing at the University of Illinois.
“I think having time to look back and reflect on the incredible experience the last Games provided me has made me appreciate and enjoy this process even more,” said the former Stanwell School pupil.
“Not to mention it’s in Birmingham, so we will have so many more friends and family members able to come.”
Cook will head back to Chicago following the Welsh Championships and will be kept busy, competing in the BIG10 and NCAA Championships with the Fighting Illini men’s gymnastics team.
And he is certainly enjoying the experience: “The training is awesome. I train alongside a really competitive team of 20 gymnasts who push each other every day.
The 2022 Welsh Artistic Championships are at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff over the this weekend, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th February.
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