OLYMPIC dreams have become reality for fairytale Fareham gymnast Vanessa Hobbs.
The 17-year-old former Cams Hill School student has been confirmed as a member of the women's artistic team to compete in Athens.
Hobbs's smile said it all after she sealed her place with another glittering performance at the British Championships and final Olympic trial in Guildford last weekend. She had already won the first of the trials at Lilleshall and finished runner-up in Britain's match against the Russians in Liverpool.
"I have never, ever seen her so excited,"beamed Debbie Hampton, her coach at Southampton's Dynamo School of Gymnastics.
"Vanessa was elated at the prospect of collecting her Olympic kit from Earls Court this week."
Hobbs flies out to a holding camp in Barcelona on July 21 and then on to the Olympic Village in August. For the last year she has been training full-time with the British squad at the centre excellence in Lilleshall.
"All year she has been top on floor, vault and beam, making the finals of the FIG Grand Prix circuits,"said Hampton. "I believe she is one of our strongest hopes for Athens in these apparatus events. Her new Spanish floor routine is sure to attract the attention of the judges.
"She has only worked for one week on this exercise and competed it for the first time in this final trial."
With no major errors to report, Hobbs took fourth place in the all-round competition at Guildford - a little disappointing considering the quality of her work.
But she qualified for all four apparatus finals and headed the field on vault.
As usual, the second day proved her strength. She became British champion on vault and beam, losing out on floor to the overall winner, Beth Tweddle from Liverpool.
The most surprising result came on bars. Although it's her least favourite piece of apparatus, Hobbs swung a solid routine to take the bronze medal.
Hobbs's Dynamo teammates also pulled off some good results - the outstanding performer being Kirsty Oxford who was clean on all apparatus, finishing 15th overall and sixth in the vault final.
Juniors: Kerry Upton (17th and reserve bar finalist), Becky Nolan (25th and reserve beam finalist), Charlotte Barry (35th)
Seniors: Katie Seabrook (23rd and 8th in vault final), Laura Smith (24th).
British Olympic squad: Amy Dodsley (Nottingham), Vanessa Hobbs (Dynamo), Katy Lennon (Leatherhead & Dorking), Elizabeth Line (Pinewood), Beth Tweddle (Liverpool), Nicola Willis (South Essex). Reserves: Carol Galashan (Liverpool), Cherrelle Fennell (Wigan).
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