QUAYSIDE gymnast Corey Walkes came agonisingly close to winning a medal at the 2018 Trampoline, Tumbling and DMT World Age Group Championships in St Petersburg, Russia, last week.

The 17-year-old, who hails from Bath and trains at Quayside Trampoline and Gymnastics Club in Bridgwater, made the step up into the 17-21 years competition this time around, competing alongside 70 gymnasts from more than 40 countries.

Going out in the first group of gymnasts, Walkes posted the second highest score for the compulsory routine (46.430), but then he made an uncharacteristic mistake at the start of his voluntary routine.

Digging deep and using all his competition experience, the Great Britain gymnast completed the 10 skill routine, posting a score of 54.955, taking him into third place at the end of his group.

With only the top eight progressing to the final, Walkes faced a nail-biting four-hour wait as the remainder of the gymnasts competed.

But his patience was rewarded, as he claimed eighth spot, giving him a place in the final.

Competing first in the final later in that day, Walkes performed an outstanding routine, posting a score of 57.345, which point him fourth – less than one mark off a bronze medal.

This is a fantastic achievement for the 17-year-old, as the youngest in the final, competing several gymnasts who were four years his senior.

Walkes will now move into the senior competition circuit in the 2019 season.

The previous week saw fellow Quayside gymnast Laura Gallagher compete for Great Britain's senior team in the World Championships, also in St Petersburg.

Unfortunately things did not go to plan for the Bridgwater resident, as errors on her routines took her out of the contention for a semi-final place, leaving her in 30th place in qualifying.

Nonetheless, Gallagher has returned to training with steely determination, for next year's Olympic qualification cycle of competitions.

Her GB team-mate Shanice Davidson claimed the silver medal in Russia.