Gwynedd Lewis-Lingard

Gymnast Gwynedd Lewis took up gymnastics at the age of 11 and enjoyed a career spanning more than 70 years. She later became known as Lewis-Lingard after her 1954 marriage to Welsh international high-board diver Syd Lingard. Gwynedd was coached by Cecil Guy at the Grange Ladies Club in South Wales, and in the three consecutive years 1959-61, Lewis, Pat Perks and Mary McCarthy were in the Grange team that won the British Women’s Team Championship. In the individual event, Lewis-Lingard was second to Pat Hirst in 1954 and to Margaret Neale in 1957. Lewis-Lingard eventually captured the title in 1959, and the following year went to Rome for her second Olympics.

Lewis-Lingard last competed at the age of 64 but, by then, had started coaching at the Penarth Gymnastics Club in Barry, and in 1971 coached Pamela Hopkins to the British title. Lewis-Lingard continued coaching well into her 80s.