A TALENTED Sutton athlete will represent England and Bishop Walsh at the World School Games in Qatar this week. Fourteen-year-old Mimi-Isabella Cesar will compete in the Rhythmic Gymnastics section in Doha from December 6 to 12. The Bishop Walsh School pupil is a member of the Great Britain junior rhythmic gymnastics squad and is training to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Rhythmic gymnastics involves performing a variety of body movements to music with a ball, rope, clubs and hoop. Mum Alexandra said: “She trains with City of Birmingham Gymnastics Club in Perry Bar and at weekends in Bath or Cardiff with GB Junior Group in a timetable of 30 hours per week. “In April this year Mimi-Isabella represented GB in the World Cup Portimao, Portugal, where she met her idol, 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist Anna Bessanova (Ukraine), and Olympic Gold medalist Olga Kanaeva (Russia).” She added: “Rhythmic gymnastics is a minority sport, so training and most competitions are self-funded and a lack of finance would be detrimental to Mimi-Isabella’s future career. “She requires financial backing in support of a hectic training programme and for competitions, including equipment. “Mimi-Isabella recently returned from Belgium Happy Cup 2009 Competition and would like to thank her coach Lisa Higgins and her school for their tremendous help and support. “Her immediate ambition is to qualify for the Junior Individual European Championship in Bremen, Germany, in April 2010.” | 
