Disabled Staffordshire gymnast hopes her success inspires others

Hannah Louise (right) and her gymnastics partner Charlotte won their British title in Stoke-on-Trent

A disabled gymnast who has retained her British title says she hopes her success shows what people with disabilities can achieve in sport.

Hannah Louise, 18, has hypermobile joints caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and took up disability acrobatic gymnastics four years ago.

She became a British champion in the national NDP finals in Stoke-on-Trent.

"I hope that it opens people's eyes that this sport is not just for able-bodied people," she said.

The gymnast, from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, won the Disability Acro Grade Three Women's Pairs title for the third year in a row last weekend, having first won it in 2021. Her pairs partner was 11-year-old gymnast, Charlotte.

Hannah Louise said the triumph came after a lot of work over the previous year.

"My health has been up and down. I didn't expect to do as much as I have done," she said.

"I've been training pretty much three nights a week for the past few weeks to build up to this to make sure I'm at my best."

"I'm a bit ecstatic, because I didn't expect it."

Hannah Louise took up disability acrobatic gymnastics four years ago

Her health issues forced her to stop practising artistic gymnastics a decade ago as having Ehlers-Danlos means her joints dislocate easily.

She suffers with chronic pain and fatigue, and uses a wheelchair because she cannot walk long distances.

Her coach, Lily Gibbons, said she was proud of the achievement.

"The standard of competition has been really high all weekend. They pulled it out of the bag; did really well," she said.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome means Hannah Louise's joints dislocate easily and she uses a wheelchair because she cannot walk long distances