GYMNASTICS: BETH Tweddle produced one of the most unexpected results of her international career when she competed for Great Britain in the Grand Prix event in Glasgow last weekend.

Becoming the first British woman to qualify for a World Cup Final - staged at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham next month - the 19-year-old Bunbury gymnast took the silver medal behind China's Ya Li in her specialist event, the asymmetric bars.

But she surprised everyone, including herself, by taking her first international medal on the floor with a score higher than her bars total, to finish third behind gold medallist Catalina Ponor (Romania) and China's Fei Chang.

Said Beth, in her first term as a sports science student at John Moores University in Liverpool: 'I have always been known for bars and I have been working hard in the gym, so I could compete on the floor and make myself known on this apparatus as well.'

Beth finished fourth on the vault but chose not to compete on beam in her first competition since the Olympic Games in Athens.

Looking ahead to the World Cup Final in Birmingham on December 11 and 12 when she will compete on bars, she added: 'I am excited there will be a home crowd. It will be good for the profile of British gymnastics to show we are up there in the world rankings.'

Matthew Hennessy will be the envy of all his fellow pupils at Darland School, Rossett, when he flies to Australia to compete in the Commonwealth Youth Games later this month.

The teenager, a member of Wrexham Olympic Gymnastics Club, has been selected by Wales to compete in the gymnastics team having previously represented his country in Celtic Cup competitions against Ireland and Scotland.

Matthew, who is 14 and lives in Gresford, is hoping his parents will be able to accompany him.

He said: 'My parents have always encouraged me and they try to get to all the competitions. My Mum is particularly proud as she was an international gymnast when she was in school.'

The headteacher at Darland School, Chris Hughes, said: 'We are all very proud of Matthew and his achievements. This is a chance of a lifetime and we wish him every success at the Games.'

Melanie Roberts, of Saltney, is also going to the Games near Melbourne as part of the Welsh team.