- Craig Heap
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Craig Heap Personal information Full name Craig Heap Nickname(s) Jarter and Heapie Country represented United Kingdom
EnglandBorn July 10, 1973
Burnley, EnglandHometown Burnley Discipline Men's artistic gymnastics Medal recordCraig Heap (born in Burnley, Lancashire, England) is a retired Commonwealth Games Gold medal winning gymnast who has represented England over 100 times in various international gymnastic competitions.[1] He has been the English and British champion as well as the captain on many occasions and has won 5 World and 5 European titles in his career.[2]
History
Heap began as a gymnast when he was just nine years old after his parents took him to classes out of simple desperation as he was very hyperactive as a child, in an interview with the BBC he stated;
I was a bit of a tearaway as a kid, always jumping over the sofas and racing around the yard. My sister Nicola used to go to gym classes and one day my mum said: 'Instead of leaping over the furniture, get yourself down to the gym with your sister.[3]
After progressing as a junior gymnast Heap eventually became professional and trained full time though he struggled for money as the grants from Sport England were not vast sums of money nor was much money generated through sponsorship.[3] A series of injuries only helped to exacerbate his financial shortfalls as long periods out meant even less money. Heap had many such injuries throughout his career, undergoing five operations on his left elbow, surgery to both shoulders, calves, shins, an ankle and a wrist.[3] Since retiring from Gymnastics Heap has taken a more media related role, appearing on Blue Peter, BBC's 'They Think its all Over', TV advert for Physio Sport, 'Simply the Best' and commentating for the BBC on Gymnastics. He now visits schools around the UK, recently visiting Musselburgh Grammar School near Edinburgh, Scotland and The Hereford Academy in West Midlands, England, he has also visited Hathershaw College of Technology and Sport in Oldham, Lancashire and was a guest speaker at their Prize Presentation Evening, on the 12th November 2009. He also visited willowburn sports centre on 8 December and enjoyed a good game of netball with alnwick juniors. They would like to thank him, especially the red team who he helped on the way to win that game. He is currently engaged to Emma Morris and they plan to wed in September 2009. He is the current face of 'TenaFella' the new incontinence product for men.
References
- ^ summer olympic games national park at olymfituk.co.uk
- ^ Commercial photographer UK England for Studio Photography
- ^ a b c "English prepare double assault". BBC News. 5 June 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/commonwealthgames2002/hi/gymnastics/newsid_1970000/1970965.stm. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
and he also visited Upton Hall School FCJ, Wirral. He was the guest speaker at All Hallows Catholic High School's Sports awards evening in 2010
External links
crag is a funny cool frend
Categories:- 1973 births
- Living people
- English male artistic gymnasts
- Gymnasts at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- People from Burnley
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