Young rising star gymnast from Milton Keynes becomes world champion
A 13-year-old team GB gymnast from Milton Keynes has won the world championships after public support to cover costs helped her to keep the dream alive.
Abigail Bass, 13, has won the World Age Group Championships for Double Mini Trampoline (DMT) in the category of age 13-14 girls. This came after a public plea from her family to help raise the funds needed for Abigail to fulfill her dream of competing in DMT on the world stage.
The family raised over £2,800 through generous public donations on Abigail’s gofundme page. The internationally renowned competition took place in Pamplona, Spain in November.
Her mother, Lorna Bass said: “Thanks to this support, Abigail was able to take part in this incredible opportunity - representing her country on the world stage - something that may not have been possible without the kindness and contributions of others.
“We are deeply grateful for the role the community played in making her dream a reality.”
Lorna explained that they were struggling to cover the World Age Group Championships costs which added up to £1,775, along with Abigail’s annual training and competition expenses which came to over £6,500.
But they were determined to keep Abigail’s dream alive after her years of dedication and commitment to the sport. She trains for 14 hours a week at Marriotts Gymnastics Club in Stevenage, and works incredibly hard to balance school with elite-level training and international competitions.
Lorna said: “Seeing her on the podium with the national anthem playing is a memory we will treasure forever.”
At the competition, Abigail went up against 45 competitors in her category. She delivered two strong routines in the first round, qualifying her for the top eight. She then performed her third routine to secure a place in the top four, before competing once more in the final round - becoming world champion.
Abigail said: “I was so happy with how my passes went and then getting first. I had lots of support from my teammates, coaches and family. I was really nervous but the whole experience was really fun and I met new friends from all over the world.”
Abigail is already back to training hard, with trials for the 2026 European Junior Championships on the horizon. Her long-term goal is to one day make the senior national team, and she is determined to keep working towards that dream.
When asked if there’s anything she’d like to say to people who supported her fundraiser, Abigail replied, “Thank you, It meant I could go and represent my country which I might not have been able to do without help.”