Young Leeds girl reaches national trampolining final despite not having a trampoline at home

When Covid-19 struck and sporting facilities were closed, many of Thandie Omidiran’s friends and competitors in trampolining were still able to hone their craft on a trampoline at home.

However, Thandie was forced to make do without the equipment she was accustomed to at Leeds Rebound Gymnastics Club.

The spirited young girl from Rothwell, however, did not let this deter her and she has still managed to book a place at the Trampoline and Tumbling National Age Group Final 2022 in Birmingham.

She will also be heading to Sheffield for the Trampoline and Tumbling Inter-Regional Challenge Cup Final 2022.

Her mum Victoria Beck said: “I know some of the other kids that are in the finals and they've got these big trampolines in the garden.

"You just kind of wish that yours could do the same thing but it just makes you extra proud that she has managed to get herself back to the same level as those guys, when she had such a long time off.

"She’s just a little girl from a little village with a big dream.”

Thandie used Zoom classes for training but found the change difficult and longed for a return to regular training and competitions.

Victoria said: "She just really struggled, she missed seeing her friends and she had all this energy that she couldn't get rid of.

“It affected her emotional wellbeing as well as her physical wellbeing.

"Just doing planks and things over Zoom is not the same as doing tricks on the trampoline.

"I know a lot of her friends were lucky enough to be able to go out and buy a trampoline or kits for their garden – air tracks, balancing beams, that sort of thing. That was never something we were able to afford so she had to just deal with the Zoom classes.”.

Fortunately for Thandie, the easing of Covid-19 restrictions meant sporting facilities were reopened and she was able to go back to doing what she loves.

Victoria explained: “When it reopened, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her as happy. She just went straight in.

"But obviously after 18 months, her fitness wasn’t where it needed to be.

"She’d lost, not so much the ability, but she’d lost quite a lot of confidence in doing the skills she had not done in a long time.

“She had to put a lot of effort in and a lot of hard work to get her fitness and confidence back up to be able to do these skills she’d just learnt before lockdown.”

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With the support of Victoria and her dad Reece Omidiran, Thandie now has her sights set on getting the better of her fellow UK prodigies in competition.

She had bounced back from a lockdown lull to build on her skillset but more obstacles remained.

Thandie had been invited to train with Team GB coaches at a camp but the opportunity came with a price tag Victoria described as “hefty”.

For the Trampoline and Tumbling Inter-Regional Challenge Cup Final, the family realised an entry fee needed to be paid and that Thandie required a new leotard and money for travel to Birmingham, as well as accommodation.

The national competition in Sheffield also demands an entry fee and a GoFundMe page was set up in the hope that the community would rally and allow Thandie to continue rising through the ranks of junior trampolining.

Thandie and her family, who are from Rothwell, were not disappointed.

Over £1,000 has been raised, meaning Thandie can look forward to taking her talents beyond Leeds and show off her skill to a wider audience.

Victoria said: “It's been incredible, I can't thank people enough.

“We've been able to put the first payment down on the on the camp so she's definitely going to that.

"It’s also made sure she can enter both of the competitions in October.

"We've got quite a few athletes that have come from Leeds and everyone's got right behind them.

"You've got the Brownlee brothers, you've got Nicola Adams, why can't we have a gymnast?”