A FOLKESTONE teenager has become regional champion in a gymnastics competition. Nadia Bellini, 15, a member of Dover Gym Club, beat 18 other girls from throughout the South East to take the gold medal for the women's artistic level four category in the 12-plus age group at the championships held in Guildford.

It was Bellini's most important competition of the year and one for which she had spent weeks learning new moves. Bellini, who has only been a member of the Dover club for a year, was up against some stiff competition. But through the four disciplines, beam, bars, floor and vault, she managed to accumulate 26.125 points, while the girl in second place achieved 25.550.

"Nadia won her age group by quite a margin," said her coach Fern Marlow. Ironically, the last time a Dover gymnast won a medal at regional level it was six years ago, when Fern won silver.