The GYM PARTY

It started, as many great things do, almost by accident. At a gym party, a friend of Sol's mum — a PE teacher — spotted something. Sol was already moving with a natural ability that stood out from the crowd. Her recommendation: register for recreational classes at Huntingdon Olympic Gym.

Fortunately, there were spaces available — and the rest, as they say, is history.

THE FIRST CHOICE

Sol started with a weekly one-hour session and was quickly moved into the development group at age 6. He was also swimming — another sport he loved and excelled at. Then came the first of many pivotal decisions.

When Sol progressed into the elite group at 8, he couldn't do both. He had to choose. Gymnastics won, and his path to elite sport began.

SIX DAYS A WEEK

His passion for gymnastics was clear from an early age. Sol took every opportunity to practise at home and at school. A trampoline in the garden meant training could spill out into the fresh air — a rare thing for a sport that mostly lives indoors.

By 11, he was attending the gym six days a week, learning early how to juggle the demands of school and serious sport — a balancing act he'd become expert at.

JUNIOR NATIONAL SQUAD

Sol was selected for the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) — but at the time of selection, he was not yet part of the Junior National Squad. Unbeknownst to Sol, his coach and parents knew that was about to change.

THREE INTERNATIONALS

Sol competed at three international competitions for Team GB — a groundbreaking year in which years of hard work and dedication paid off. For the first time, Sol could see his gymnastics ability being genuinely recognised on the world stage.

European Junior Champion

Sol was selected for the Junior European Championships. Team GB placed first as a team — and Sol stepped onto the top of the individual podium on vault.

That doesn't sound too bad, does it?

There's no better feeling than being part of a winning team and receiving medals on behalf of Team GB — but it's the day-to-day work in the gym that earns the right to be there. Sol and his coach, Ben Howells, remain grounded: after each competition, they look to the next event, trust the process, and go again.

Following the Dream

Sol finished his A levels in the summer of 2025 facing a genuine dilemma: stay at home and train full time, or accept a full scholarship to Penn State University in America.

After much soul searching, he followed his heart — training full time in pursuit of his dream: to compete for Team GB at the Olympic Games.

Sol's journey has involved extraordinary dedication and real personal and family sacrifices. The path of a young professional athlete is hard. But along the way, it has shaped who Sol is — his values, his outlook, his character.