Brave Bell performance rounds off historic European Championships
2nd June 2016, 00:00a.m. | International

Having made quite an impression as a junior at the 2014 Junior European Championships where she made history in becoming the first Irish female gymnast to qualify for a European Junior final, Casey Bell made her Senior European Championships debut today. The 16 year old from Salto Gymnastics Club in Lisburn, was in action in Subdivision II at midday local time in Bern. Competing solo due to the illness and late withdrawal of Olympian Ellis O’Reilly, Casey began well with a 13.033 score on the Vault. This set her up for solid Beam and Bars performances and led to a total score of 49.898 infront of a loud crowd at the Post Finance arena.
The Gymnastics Ireland delegation of Performance Manager, Sally Filmer, her coach Sun Jie and Gymnastics Ireland CEO, Ciaran Gallagher were in attendance at the arena to support and they had a great view of Casey's performances. "Casey rounded off a solid outing for the Irish women today with a 25th place finish at her first senior European Championships. Casey went 4 for 4 without any major errors and provided a real moment of drama in the arena with a hard fight to stay on the beam which was much appreciated by the audience and demonstrated real character for the first year senior. Congratulations to Casey, her coach Sun Jie and the team at Salto Gymnastics Club." commented Mr. Gallagher.
This marked the final performance from the team Ireland Delegation competing in Bern these past two weeks. It rounded off what was an historic championships for Ireland thanks to the European Junior medal winning performances of Rathgael's Rhys McClenaghan, who claimed the silver medal in the Apparatus Finals on the Pommel. The next time we will see our artistic gymnasts in competitive action, will be at the Rio Olympics in August where Kieran Behan and Ellis O’Reilly will make historic appearances.