As a first-year senior artistic gymnast, Frank Stone has recently returned from the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Leipzig in Germany, marking her major senior international debut for Team GB alongside Ruby Evans, Alia Leat, Emily Roper and Ruby Stacey. In March, Frank was in the team for the DTB Pokal event, where she won Bronze in the Team with Shantae-Eve Amankwaah, Grace Davies, Ema Kandalova and Tilly Wright, and Frank qualified for the Vault and Balance Beam finals, but unfortunately had to withdraw due to illness. Frank became the British champion this year, when she won Gold on Balance Beam at the British Championships, and qualified for all four apparatus finals, winning Silver on Vault and in the All-Around event. At the 2025 Welsh Championships, Frank won four medals, becoming the Welsh champion on Balance Beam, and was a Silver medallist in the All-Around and on Uneven Bars and Bronze medallist on Floor. Last year, Frank was announced to represent Team GB at the Junior European Championships in Rimini, though after travelling to Italy, she withdrew after picking up an injury. Currently, Frank is focusing on next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow for Team Wales, and she trains full-time at Amber Valley Gymnastics Club, where she has been for almost eight years. Chatting to us, Frank talked to us about competing at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships this year for her major senior international debut, becoming the 2025 British and Welsh champion on Balance Beam and her further medals so far as a first-year senior.

You have recently returned from the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Leipzig, how did you feel being selected for your major senior international debut and how was it representing Team GB in Germany?

It was a dream come true to be selected as a senior with me being so young! I had an absolute blast and learned so much from the other girls as they are more experienced than me. We gelled really well together as a team.

How did you find the experience competing in Leipzig and being part of a major international competition?

The arena in Leipzig was amazing! We are lucky in this country to be able to compete in an incredible arena for our British competition, so I like that environment and atmosphere.

What did you enjoy most about competing with your fellow British teammates Ruby Evans, Alia Leat, Emily Roper and Ruby Stacey?

I love all of the girls, we get on really well and support each other and the support team are incredible too so it was a really positive experience.

For your first senior international competition, you competed at the DTB Pokal event in March (where you qualified for the Vault and Balance Beam finals before unfortunately having to withdraw due to illness), how was it winning Bronze with the Team alongside Shantae-Eve Amankwaah, Grace Davies, Ema Kandalova and Tilly Wright?

Oh it was so amazing to win Team Bronze!! We had all just done the British so had seen each other just before so it was great to be together! I was gutted to become sick as to make two finals at an international felt so good, but that’s how it goes sometimes!!

What was it like becoming British champion earlier this year when you won Gold on the Balance Beam at the British Championships?

Winning Gold on Beam at the British was pretty surreal, to be honest!! It is such a tricky apparatus that it can really just be down to how things go on the day!

How was it qualifying for all four apparatus finals and also coming away with Silver in the All-Around and on Vault in your first year as a senior artistic gymnast?

Tiring!!! I was still buzzing from the AA competition but that can really take it out of you and I was just so proud of myself. To come away with a Silver on Vault as well was such a bonus!!

Can you tell us about competing at the Welsh Championships in March, which saw you win four medals – Gold on Balance Beam, Silver in the All-Around and on Uneven Bars and Bronze on Floor, and what are the Welsh Championships like to compete at?

Competing at the Welsh this year was a little more personal as I competed as a Welsh national rather than a guest, so I felt at home! It was extra special as I hit my first 50!! I had lots of support from family also, so it was great to have a good comp!

As a junior gymnast, you had been selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior European Championships last year in Rimini, but unfortunately had to withdraw after flying out to Italy having picked up an injury, what are some of your favourite highlights from your junior career, and how have you found the transition to senior level?

Getting injured at the last minute really sucked!! I was so ready and really pleased with my routines as I had worked so hard. There were some tough days but I always remained positive and the fact that I was still in Italy with the girls helped me so, so much and I had great time despite everything. Not going to lie though, I was devastated not to be out there.

I think that my junior career had so many positives. Transitioning from England squad and Northern Euros, which I absolutely loved, to GB squad and Olympic Hopes where I competed all four apparatus following my earlier ankle injury. I hadn’t expected to be back competing as soon as I did and it gave me a lot of confidence.

How did you get into artistic gymnastics and was it always something you wanted to do at elite level?

I started doing pre-school Kiddi gym and then kind of fell into an artistic squad as soon as I started school and then it all went from there! I’ve always wanted to be the best I can be so it has very much been a natural progression. I’m still going for my dreams and really have come to love competing. Everything is always easier when you have a great team around you and with that, I am super lucky.

What is it like training at Amber Valley Gymnastics Club and can you say about your typical training day?

I have been at Amber Valley since I was eight, so almost eight years. It’s a really positive place to be, which is a good job as I spend so much time there! Teammates are also friends and I enjoy being a good role model to the little ones!

I train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday typically. Some days are single sessions and others are double. Each session always kicks off with rolling and physio/prehab – whatever needs doing at the time. Then warm-up exercises which can include shuttle runs, rope climbs and handstand walks. Some days we do all pieces and other days some – just depends on our program. There’s always stretching and S and C in there somewhere too!

Do you have any favourite gymnasts (either current or retired) that you enjoy watching compete?

I enjoy watching so many gymnasts for different reasons… some for power, others for elegance. Too many to name but a couple are: Melanie de Jesus dos Santos and Sunisa Lee.

How do you like spending your time away from sports?

I love spending time with friends – both ones that I have made through my gymnastics journey and non-gym friends! I try and get a balance and have things to look forward to. Concerts, shopping and travelling are a bit of me!

Have you received any advice over your time as a gymnast so far that has stuck with you?

TRUST THE PROCESS… I love this as it gives you a focus and can be adapted to any stage of where you’re at. You decide what you need to do, work on it and get to the outcome that you want. Everything is a process.

Do you have any competitions coming up that you can tell us about or that you are targeting?

It’s downtime competition-wise at the moment but my big focus is on the Commonwealth Games next year. To be selected and compete would be another dream ticked off the list.

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