As part of the squad that beat Cambridge last year, coming third in the individual competition, Amy Morreau has proven herself to be a focused, determined, and skillful individual. Yet on first meeting Amy, with her cheeky giggle and laid-back attitude, you might never guess that she was the current Oxford Gymnastics captain, nor that she ever represented Wales in her discipline. The 20-year old from Cardiff could hardly be any more modest about her achievements and more passionate about her sport, unlike some arrogant young athletes. As she herself jokes, ‘it's not always gym-nice-tics'.
Amy recalls that her agility wasn't always seen as a gift. ‘I always seemed to be the only one of my friends as a child who could attempt a handstand at an early age, the only difficulty being the way down...my mum was slightly concerned, but thought the best solution must be gymnastics lessons'. Fast-forward fifteen-odd years and Amy is dedicating a huge part of her life to doing what she loves.
Training five times a week back in Wales and twice weekly at University, whilst also fitting in a physics degree at Worcester College, Amy admits that training can put quite a strain on life: ‘I'm a fun-loving person. My friends and family mean so much to me, but sometimes training for competitions or performances just has to come first'.
Another side to gymnastics which has captivated Amy has led her into acrobatics and ultimately to the circus: ‘I found a unicycle in my shed one day and just decided to learn how to ride it. When I had mastered that, my dad took me along to join the local circus (NoFit state circus), where I got stuck into acrobatics'. Her dedication to the more spectacular side of gymnastics has seen Amy utilise her skills to entertain and thrill at venues across the U.K. including some remarkable shows at this year's Glastonbury festival.
So what does the future hold for the pocket-sized, happy-go-lucky Amy? A mischievous smile betrays no signs of the drive within her as she shrugs off any suggestions of dropping her big-top ambitions: ‘Hopefully I'll get a degree and can dedicate myself to the circus a bit more. I'm not quite ready for a proper job just yet!'
