Young Mansfield gymnast keen to follow in footsteps of Becky and Ellie Downie
Remarkable progress by a ten-year-old gymnast from Mansfield Woodhouse suggests she could soon be following in the footsteps of the famous Nottinghamshire sisters, the Downies.
Becky and Ellie Downie made history when both won medals at the World Championships earlier this month.
Now, Charlotte Cooke is catching the eye of experts and coaches as a talented gymnast with a successful future.
She only took up the sport four years ago, but she is already ranked the best in Mansfield and the second best in the East Midlands for her age group.
“She is desperate to compete at the Olympic Games one day,” said proud mum Leigh-Ann. “That is her long-term goal.
“She loves gymnastics, and lives and breathes it. She trains every day, and shows massive dedication.”
Charlotte became interested in the sport by watching videos on YouTube. She took it up when a teacher at her previous school, Nettleworth, recognised how good she was at it.
Charlotte joined a local club, but has since graduated to the highly respected Amber Valley Gymnastics Academy in Ripley under the wing of top coach Jenny Clay
She is a regular in the elite East Midlands squad, competing against the best in the country, and her current school, Leas Park, kindly gives her time off for training and tournaments.
You can follow Charlotte’s progress on her Instagram page, charlottegymnastx2009.