Chester graduate heads to international gymnastics contest backed by Mornflake

Chester fashion graduate Alisha Evanson is set to make a stylish debut at a world gymnastics competition taking place in Portugal.

Alisha, 22, has been selected to represent Great Britain in next week’s Loulé Cup International Competition which will see 600 of the world’s best gymnasts compete in the disciplines of trampoline and tumbling.

It is second time round for the gymnast who has a Fashion Design degree from the University of Chester and likes to design leotards when she has time away from her training schedule.

In 2023 Alisha, who lives locally, came away with an individual bronze and a team silver in the competition but returning to Algarve this year was in the balance due to costs.

But now her bags are packed after we came to the rescue with help towards travel.

Alisha said: “Unfortunately, in the gymnastics discipline I participate in, tumbling, there is very little to no funding and therefore in order to represent my country it costs me large amounts of money.

“I reached out to Mornflake and they very kindly offered support. It’s a great fit as I love their porridge. It’s the one thing I can face on competition days and it gives me the energy I need.”

Alisha, a coach at Cheshire Gymnastics in Northwich, is on the Great British Squad for tumbling which involves acrobatic handsprings down a 25m long sprung track in front of judges who look for the perfect landing. She was ranked 5th at the last World Age Group Championships in the 17-21 age category.

In Portugal she is up against other top tumblers from 19 countries, including Portugal, France, Greece, Estonia, United Kingdom, Canada, Czechia, Argentina, Belgium, USA, Finland, Germany, Egypt, Switzerland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Poland, Israel, and Georgia.

She added: “I loved studying fashion at Chester and hope to have my own leotard brand one day. The ones you buy ‘off the shelf’ are pretty plain. I’d like to see more individuality, like my shocking pink design, which is functional but a statement.

“It’s an honour to represent my country and I hope to be selected for the Senior World Championship team in 2025 but it’s also good to have training for a fashion career under my belt.”

Our managing director, James Lea, said: “Nature offers a fantastic natural energy source in oats and we love finding ways to promote them for good health.

“The fact that a local gymnast includes them in her daily diet is testament to that. We are delighted to see our name connected with the event in Portugal and wish Alisha all the best.”