Talented Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance student Benjamin Shepherd has won the British Athletic Championships in tumbling.

Tumbling is a gymnastics discipline requiring high jumping abilities, space orientation, co-ordination, power, strength and courage. Although the discipline has not been seen at the Olympics since 1932 (see video), Ben hopes to represent his country if tumbling is chosen as one of the gymnastics disciplines for the forthcoming London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In the meantime, Ben will be busy combining his studies with training for more international tumbling competitions.

Simon – www.studylondon.ac.uk

Video

1932 Olympic tumbling champion Roland Wolfe gives a short demonstration of his gymnastic discipline