Ewan is British Senior Vault Champion 2017
April 5, 2017
Lisburn lad Ewan McAteer became British Champion taking a gold medal on vault at the Men’s Masters Gymnastics Championships 2017 which took place in the Echo Arena Liverpool, 24-26 March. Making this achievement even more remarkable is the fact that Ewan is still a junior, aged 17. Ewan, who is currently an A-level pupil at Methodist College Belfast, qualified for the prestigious Masters finals on Sunday 26th March as a result of his performance in the junior competition on Saturday. In front of a packed audience of 7000 and against an international field, Ewan performed a Tsukahara two and a half twist and a Kasamatsu double twist vault to post a very impressive score of 14.325 which took the gold.
Following his success the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Brian Bloomfield, MBE, Mayoress and Dame Mary Peters, CH DBE, met with Ewan. The Mayor said: “The talent and skill that Ewan is displaying at such a young age is incredible and is a credit to him, his family and the many people and organisations involved in his training. Achieving gold and becoming British Champion is a great accolade and one that is deserved. He is a shining example to the sporting youth of our council area and I look forward to following his career and how it progresses.”
Ewan was competing for the Salto City of Lisburn National Gymnastics Centre and this achievement marks a significant moment for Northern Ireland gymnastics as it is the first time that Northern Irish gymnasts have taken Gold at this prestigious event. Last year in the 2016 British Masters Competition, Ewan representing Salto, had claimed a bronze on vault but this year he bettered his achievement by claiming a remarkable first with Gold in the discipline against stiff competition from senior gymnasts of Team GB and from other international competitors.
This result is the latest in some excellent performances by McAteer, as he had shown his potential to compete and succeed at a senior level when he posted the highest vault score in the Senior Scottish Gymnastics Championships, in Perth earlier this month. These results are very positive achievements and a step forward to Ewan’s next big goal aiming for selection to the NI Team who are to travel to the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, 2018. The XXI Commonwealth Games will be held during April in The Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
During the post event interview Ewan said, “I am absolutely delighted to have won the Gold on Vault. There was a lot of pressure on the day – The Echo Arena was packed, British Gymnastics were streaming the event live, and I was up against the other 6 best vaulters in Britain and one from Jamaica. As my coach had advised me, it is all about holding your nerve, focusing on my landings and not watching what my other competitors are doing. I went for higher difficulty tariffs in my vaults than some of the other competitors and thankfully it paid off.”
He added. “Thank you to everyone who supports me throughout the year: my coach Wajdi Bouallegue, my school Methody, my club Salto, The Mary Peters Trust, OCS, Coca Cola and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.”
Another local success was also achieved by Salto’s Patrick Quinlivan, who took a bronze medal in the Men’s Disability Masters competition.