WATCH: Local gymnasts round-off Special Olympics with 21 medals

Wednesday 20 March 2019

A group of four local athletes has scored 21 medals - including nine gold ones - in the artistic gymnastics category of the Special Olympics.

Aaron Bonnar (22), Matthew Kirkland (19), Cailiegh Quail (23) and Jessica Vieira (20) were flying the flag for Team GB in the global contest in Abu Dhabi, among 7,500 athletes from over 190 countries.

The quartet regularly practice at the Jersey Special Gymnastics Club, which operates under the umbrella of the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled (JSAD).

Each athlete scored medals in the global competition. Jessica got three Silver in Level 2 Balance Beam, Vaulting and Uneven Bars as well as two Bronze in Floor Exercise and All Around, a category which includes vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercises.

Video: Jessica celebrating her medals.

Cailiegh scored Gold in Level 3 Vaulting and Uneven Bars and a Bronze in Balanced Beam. She also finished fifth in the Floor Exercise category. 

Matthew won two Gold in Level 3 Floor Exercise and Vaulting, and four Silver in Horizontal Bar, All Around, Parallel Bars and Rings. He was also competing in Pommel Horse, where he finished just off the podium, in fourth place.

Aaron was the most successful of the quarter with a total of five Gold medals in Parallel and Horizontal Bars, as well as Vaulting, Rings and Floor Exercise. He also won Silver in Pommel Horse and All Around.

Beresford Street Kitchen, "the café with a conscience" where both Jessica and Cailiegh work, has congratulated both athletes for their success. "Look at all of those medals!!!!!," the team wrote on their Facebook page, adding they were all "so proud" of Cailiegh, Jessica and the other Jersey athletes "for their amazing performance at the Special Olympics. What an achievement!"

Before they left, the quartet received support from Paul Patterson, the JSAD Chairman, who was delighted with their selection to represent GB "at the highest level of competition possible within Special Olympics."

"I have every confidence that our four local gymnasts will do the best they can for themselves, their coaching staff, Jersey and of course GB and I am proud of their achievements," Mr Patterson added.

Pictured: Matthew, Aaron, Cailiegh and Jessica with two other athletes from Team GB.

Senator Steve Pallett, the Assistant Minister for Sport, also sent words of support to the athletes whom he said he would celebrate upon their return. "It's incredible to get so many athletes on the squad," Senator Pallett said. "For the island's reputation, it's great! It shows the quality of some of the athletes and the depth we get."