City of Aberdeen Gymnastics club member Orianne Slater has shaken off an injury-disrupted season to win her third British uneven bar champion title in a row at the 2018 British championships.
Slater, the 2017 British disability junior overall champion, sprained her ankle in February with the injury keeping her out of the Scottish Masters in Perth last month.
She returned to training this month but due to the nature of her injury she agreed with City of Aberdeen Gymnastics head coach Lorna Presley not to compete on all four apparatus at the British Masters and instead focused on the balance beam and uneven bars.
The decision to focus on two events rather than four paid off in Liverpool as Slater won gold on the bars and bronze on the beam.
Slater, who as diagnosed with Perthes’ disease at the age of six, was delighted with her result and she said: “I didn’t know what to expect from the competition as, four days before, the pain in my ankle was still stopping me from achieving some skills.
“By the time I had to compete, the pain had decreased so I could stretch most skills a bit more. I am pleased with the results now.
“For the next six months, I am in a development phase in gymnastics as well as study period for my exams at school.”
Presly, Slater’s coach, said: “It was a fantastic result for Orianne in Liverpool.
“After a disappointing start to the year, having to withdraw from the Scottish Disabilities Masters last month, to come home with gold on bars and bronze on beam was a great result.
“Now she has to work hard over the next few months to gain new skills for the Scottish and British championships later in the year.”