Marriotts gymnast Mollie Smith has won herself a place in the Eastern Region team. The East will be competing in the national inter-regional team championship at Basingstoke at the end of the month. She qualified for the team at a trial competition at Ips

Marriotts gymnast Mollie Smith has won herself a place in the Eastern Region team.

The East will be competing in the national inter-regional team championship at Basingstoke at the end of the month.

She qualified for the team at a trial competition at Ipswich on Sunday.

The 13-year-old has been making rapid progress this year, having won the national final British club grade three event earlier in the year.

More recently, she finished second in the Scottish national championships for her age.

Her busy schedule continues this weekend when she will be in Germany to take part in the 31st International Leverkusen-Cup as part of a three-strong team representing Hertfordshire.

This international gymnastics competition for girls is the oldest and most traditional one in Europe.

Since 1976, 89 different clubs from 39 countries all over the world have taken part at this annual high level event.

This year the Leverkusen-Cup is the last international test for the World Championships 2006, which will be held days later in Aarhus, Denmark.

Mollie's coaches, Derek Trotter and Svetlana Lebiadzinskaya, were delighted by her selection for the regional team for the national final, as well as the Herts team for the Leverkusen-Cup.

Trotter said: "It is a tremendous performance. This will be Mollie's second British national final of the year and this weekend will be her first competition outside of the UK."

P The Marriotts Gym Centre hosted the Herts county level five championship on Saturday.

In the eight/nine-year-old section, Emma Chambers took fifth overall but first on floor and third on vault.

And in the 10/11-year-old section, there was overall bronze for Melanie Grigg including third on vault and first on floor.

Clubmate Catherine Hemminway took overall fifth place with second on vault and third on bars. Corey Williams came eighth overall, with an excellent second place on bars. Tayah McCrieth also competed for the Marriotts club.