THINGS keep getting better and better for Fareham's Olympic-bound gymnast Vanessa Hobbs.

The 16-year-old sensation from the Dynamo School of Gymnastics pushed Liverpool's reigning British champion and world medallist Beth Tweddle into second place in the trials for the European Championships in Amsterdam later this month (April 29-May 2).

Once declared a floor and vault specialist, Hobbs proved she is now a classy all-rounder, competing on all four pieces of apparatus to amass a personal best score of 35.75 in the last of the four trials.

If she can repeat that performance in Amsterdam, she is on course to make the top 36 in European competition.

Her strong exercise on beam, floor and vault could earn her a place in the apparatus finals.

She has regularly made finals on the World Cup circuit and is hoping to get a medal at this prestigious event.

Winning the overall trial also means that Hobbs's coach Debbie Hampton goes to Holland as one of the Great Britain coaching staff.

Hampton said: "The trial process for this competition has been very tough, but Vanessa has coped extremely well.

"I talked to the GB national coach, Zoltan Jordanov, who told me he has high hopes for Vanessa at the European Championships.

"A medal would be a huge achievement.

"The standard in Europe is very high, but Vanessa has proved she can live with the best.

"This is an important stage in her preparation for the Olympics in Athens."