USA gymnasts who have been training at Gillingham Jumpers Trampoline Club

by Alex Hoad

Gillingham's Jumpers Rebound Centre has been playing host to some of the world’s top gymnasts this week as the preparations for London 2012 gather pace.

Teams from Canada, USA and Portugal, as well as Walderslade’s Great Britain star Kat Driscoll, used the facilities on Mill Road – the home of GB trampolining and Gillingham Jumpers Trampoline Club – to hone their skills ahead of the London Prepares Visa International Gymnastics test event, which began this week.

The nine-day dress rehearsal for the Olympic Games at the O2, which started on Tuesday, sees teams from around the world vying for the final qualifying places for the main event which gets under way in late July.

Martin Laws, managing director of the centre, said: "I’m proud that we can fly the flag and attract major countries to Kent as part of the London 2012 Games.

"This shows that we are at world class level and can showcase both Jumpers Rebound Centre and Great Britain.

"We have worked hard to attract these teams and our efforts are now paying off.

"It is vital to bring the countries’ base camps to the area if we are to maximise the benefits of London 2012. We are now seeing a snowballing effect as other countries try to follow the leaders."

Laws’ assistant Mike Driscoll said the centre could host up to five nations for pre-Olympic training camps and bases for the Games.