Trampolining champion still winning medals at 91

16 hours ago

Alexandra BassinghamWest of England

News image — Quinney has been involved in trampolining for more than 70 years

Sue Burt Peter Quinney, wearing two gold medals from his recent trampolining competition. He wears glasses and is smiling at the camera, wearing a navy t shirt. Behind him is a white brick wall. — Quinney has been involved in trampolining for more than 70 years

A British trampolining champion is celebrating after winning his newest gold medals at the age of 91.

Great-grandfather Peter Quinney AFM (Air Force Medal), from Melksham in Wiltshire, still coaches a trampoline club in Salisbury, decades after he was introduced to gymnastics and trampolining at school.

He said his passion for the sport blossomed after training as a physical training instructor in the RAF during his National Service at 18, leading him to win gold at the 1960 British Championships.

More than 60 years on he is still collecting medals, taking first place in his age category at a recent competition in Portsmouth.

"I just enjoy it all and with the coaching, it's like a little family at the club and somewhere I can share something I've been doing all my life," he said.

During his initial RAF training, Quinney introduced trampolining to the RAF gymnastics display team, which he was part of, and they performed at Madison Square Gardens in New York, and in Canada at the Olympic stadium.

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"At that time, I had the opportunity to train a lot and I managed to win the British Championship in 1960, which had only been introduced in 1957," he said, describing his subsequent selection to represent Great Britain as "absolutely great, smashing".

His career took him into parachuting and while working in Singapore - where he trained in jungle and sea survival - he introduced trampolining to schools in the country.

Sue Burt Quinney stands second from the left, with two female competitors each end and another man to the right in the picture. They are all wearing medals and smiling at the camera wearing navy t shirts. Behind them are gymnastics beams and they are standing on a trampoline. — Quinney paid tribute to all the unpaid volunteers who give up their time to run groups and clubs

After leaving the RAF, Quinney set up what became the Wiltshire School of Gymnastics, focusing on making the sport more inclusive by teaching children with special needs.

"Fortunately I've never had any broken bones, just a few bumps and bruises - but you just get back on and try again when it goes wrong," he said.

Sue Burt Quinney standing on the edge of a trampoline, balancing on his tip toes with his arms stretched up, looking as thought he is about to start a routine. He is wearing a navy top and dark sports trousers. Behind him is a gymnastics sponge pit and in the background are various bits of gymnastics equipment including beams. There are also union jack flags. — Quinney said his club is like "a little family"

Quinney said he has "passed the point where I can just leap on [the trampoline] and demonstrate any skill to the pupils, but sometimes they can get a bit jealous when I do and demonstrate something they are funding difficult".

"It can be exciting, especially when you achieve something that you didn't think you could even attempt, let alone achieve," he added.

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