Whitworth trampolinist in national final

Jacob Hall who will be representing Whitworth Community High School in the British Schools’ Trampolining Finals

A delighted Jacob Hall will be representing Whitworth Community High School in the British Schools’ Trampolining Final in March.

The 12-year-old Year 7 student won the Northern Boys’ Novice competition for Years 7 and 8 at Salford Gymnastics Centre, but when the scoreboard stopped working, he was left wondering for 15 minutes whether he had been successful.

Jacob, from Whitworth, said: “In my set routine I got the highest mark, but when I finished my free routine, the scoreboard stopped working.

“I started my free routine with a back somersault but it was not as tidy as I wanted it to be. I finished on a half twist and landed it well, with just a small step forward, but I think my arms were in the wrong place.

“When I practised my routine on the Friday at school, I kept on missing it and it just wouldn’t click, but on the day, it just clicked and it all just happened.”

With no scoreboard, judges resorted to a microphone to announce the winners, Jacob heard the third and second places and was applauding them so enthusiastically he missed his name being read out as the winner.

Head of PE Will Cawley, who accompanied the school’s trampolinists, told Jacob he had won.

Jacob said: “My parents Jane and Greg, his brother Nathan, 18, and nan Karen were all cheering me on and when I finished my second routine they were crying.”

He is a member of the school’s trampolining club and also attends The Valley Leadership Academy every Saturday for training sessions.

Jacob said: “I heard that the girls were going for the team competition and Mr Cawley said I could also enter as a solo.

“In the qualifier in Macclesfield I repeated the set routine for both rounds and I was third which qualified me for the Northern Zonal competition in Salford. I was up against 11 other boys in Salford and I did my best.”

The school’s Year 11 team finished fourth, the Years 9-10 were seventh and Ellie Kenyon finished sixth.