86-year-old gymnastics guru from Raunds hoping to strike gold in this month's British Gymnastics Awards

A gymnastics guru from Raunds has been shortlisted for a national prize 50 years on from helping pioneer the sport’s introduction in the UK.

Jenny Bott, 86, has coached Olympians and British champions and is now hoping to strike gold in the education category at this month’s British Gymnastics Awards.

Bott, who is still mentoring the next generation of coaches well into her 80s, was delighted to have been recognised after devoting her life to the sport.

The Raunds resident said: “I am absolutely over the moon.

“It’s just wonderful. I was totally surprised, it just came out of the blue.

“It was a bit of a shock and I thought gosh, where has this come from?

“I was thrilled to bits, particularly as it’s the education category and I’ve spent all my life in education because I’ve done a lot of teaching, tutoring, mentoring and assessing.”

Bott admits she was ‘hooked’ on gymnastics from an early age and gained coaching qualifications in a range of disciplines including women’s artistic, general gymnastics and sports acrobatics.

Over the course of her long-standing affiliation with British Gymnastics, Bott has naturally come across a number of high-profile stars in her career including Olympian-turned-Sky Sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao, who she took to the Los Angeles Games in 1984, and broadcaster Gabby Logan.

For Bott, nothing beats the buzz of watching raw talent blossom.

She said: “I’ve always been working with children and youngsters and latterly with mature students and adults and helping them with their coaching.

“I like to think that’s what keeps me active, young and up to date with things. I loved every minute of that.

“I love seeing their excitement and joy at achieving things and coping with new tasks and skills.”

The British Gymnastics Awards are community led and about championing those who make the sport an uplifting experience for all, with more nominations than ever before coming in this year.

It is the creativity, dedication and passion from people in the sport that make gymnastics an accessible, inclusive and enjoyable sport for all.

The nominations have been judged by panels made up of British Gymnastics committee members and external panellists from across UK Sport, Gymnova, Milano, Gymaid, Youth Sport Trust, Sport England, Women in Sport, The Include Summit, Sport and Recreation Alliance, The Sport for Development Coalition and GB gymnasts.

Bott’s background in British Gymnastics education stretches back to 1962, where she tutored and assessed many coaches from beginner to international level.

Since then she has written resources for the British Gymnastics Education department, GCSE Gymnastics Syllabus for various exam boards and produced three books on rhythmic gymnastics.

Bott’s unwavering dedication has earned her a nomination for this year’s British Gymnastics Awards and she will discover her fate when the results are announced this month.

She said: “With it being the 50th year of rhythmic gymnastics in the UK it would be especially memorable.

“It’s more poignant now than ever, so it would be extra special to win it this year.”

The British Gymnastics Awards celebrate those at the heart of gymnastics who create an uplifting experience for all.

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