Excitement is building in one part of Laois as a teenager is set to represent Ireland on the international stage in gymnastics.
14-year-old Lauren Kelly, from Ratheniska, became the first person ever from County Laois to don the Irish jersey in the sport earlier this year in Norway.
And now she is set to do it again as she was selected on the Irish Women’s Artistic and Acrobatic Gymnastics Teams.
She will compete at the upcoming Caledonia International taking place at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, Motherwell, Scotland from November 21 to 23.
Lauren is in the Junior Artistic section where she has been chosen alongside Skye O’Connor, Thi Anh Forde and Alannah Bourke (non-travelling reserve).
She will be up against gymnasts from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Lauren, who the daughter of John and Rosie Kelly, began gymnastics when she was three and a half.
A past pupil of Ratheniska NA, Lauren is now in Scoil Chriost Ri where she is in 3rd Year.
She has worked with coach Denis Donoghue in Portlaoise Gym club has had a huge impact on Lauren’s development.
Lauren won her first medals in Portlaoise Gymnastics when she was six and won her first medals at National Competitions at the early youth levels aged 7, including one Gold.
Lauren continued to progress winning medals at club and national level up to the Age of 10 where she won the ‘Tom Halpenny’ Cup for the overall best gymnast in Portlaoise club that year.
Lauren’s journey to the Irish squad continued from age 11 when she was invited to train as guest with National Squad for first time.
In 2023, following strong performance at national finals, winning two silver medals at her grade, Lauren was invited onto National Development Squad – making her the first ever Laois gymnast to make a National Gymnastics Squad.
2024 was a real breakthrough year for Lauren as she began by winning three gold medals and the overall trophy at a Northern Ireland competition hosted by Salto Gym club.
Now aged 13, Lauren went on to win four gold medals at National Finals and was then invited onto National Olympic Start Squad (OSS).
In September of that year, Lauren and her family, in association with Portlaoise Gymnastics Club, took the decision to join an elite training group in Dublin with Excel Gymnastics Club.
Lauren travels to Excel, Ballyfermot or Gymnastics Ireland training centre Blanchardstown five days per week since then.
At the start of this year, following a national squad trial, Lauren represented Ireland for the first time in Oslo, Norway.
In the summer, Lauren finished third overall in National Finals at the international ‘FIG Junior’ grade.
Following this, Lauren was selected for the top Irish Women’s Artistic squad, International Development Squad (IDS) in August.
Lauren’s development continued as she partook in club competitions in Nottingham, England and Belgium in October and November.
Lauren is just back from Belgium last weekend where she competed at a club competition finishing third overall.
She will be hoping for another strong showing in Scotland as her gymnastics career continues to go from strength to strength.
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