Carter's comeback (From Warrington Guardian)

Carter's comeback

WARRINGTON'S Sports Personality of 2004 is back in training and gearing up for his first competition for more than a year.

Padgate gymnast Chris Carter, who bagged the town's most prestigious sporting award last February after a remarkable year of success, has had 12 months out of the sport but will return to action when he competes in the floor event at the British Sports Acrobatic Championships in Stoke on March 25 and March 26.

The 20-year-old reluctantly decided not to compete in 2005 to focus on completing his A-levels at Priestley College and starting a business and sports development course at Leeds Metropolitan University.

But he has been tempted back to gymnastics and despite the long absence, he is still hopeful of achieving success in the British Championships, where he earned gold in the men's four category in 2004.

"I think my chances are quite good generally and hopefully I can do well," said Carter, who is a member of Wakefield Gym Club but also trains at Warrington Gymnastics Club and Manchester Gymnastics Club.

"After I won the Warrington Sports Personality award I had a year out because, although I didn't want to stop, it was necessary really.

"I was just playing hockey for the university second team and for Daten whenever I could get back to Warrington.

"But in December I returned to coaching at the gym in Wakefield and then I decided to start competing again.

"At first it was a bit hard to start again but it's all coming back slowly, and it's brilliant to be back."

Carter is also planning to compete in the Flanders Acro Cup, which brings together the best talent from across Europe, in the Belgian town of Puurs at Easter but his sights are firmly set on the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in June.

Selection for the Great Britain team will be largely based on his performance at the British Championships and Carter is determined not to miss out on the trip to Coimbra in Portugal, where he would be aiming to better the silver medal he earned in 2004.

He said: "If I finish first or second at the British Championships I will qualify for the World Championships.

"I'm very hopeful of getting into the team and that's my main ambition now. It's one of the reasons I came back."