ELITE young gymnast Jessica Nicholson is to fly the flag for Yorkshire at next month's British Junior Championships in Surrey after becoming a county champion.

The nine-year-old, from Burn, near Selby, won the Yorkshire title in her age category at the regional gymnastics centre at Carnegie College in Leeds, and will now go up against 42 other gymnasts from around the UK as the sole White Rose representative in her year group at the nationals.

Jessica's parents are Bev and George Nicholson. Bev said: "You can't imagine how proud we are. We're over the moon, as are her brother Joe and sister Ellie, who will be going down to Surrey to support her on the day."

Brayton Junior School pupil Jessica was not new to Carnegie College, as she trains there six times a week for four hours per session.

She began gymnastics aged five at the old Selby club, which closed down this year, before joining other elite gymnasts at the regional centre.

She does all four disciplines, namely the floor, beam, vault and asymmetrical bars, her particular strength being the former. The British championships, like at the Olympics, will see placings given for each individual discipline as well as overall results, with all the qualifiers now set to receive national rankings. Jessica will be in the youngest age section at the event, hers being the first year in which gymnasts are allowed to compete at national level.

Updated: 09:58 Friday, October 29, 2004