NATASHA Small made a big impression on the Southern & South East Region Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships at Portsmouth's Mayfield School.

The Chandler's Ford youngster won the overall southern region junior title, notched the highest score in the regional junior section and reclaimed the Frances Newman Trophy for the overall highest score in the region.

In the elite junior section, Small scooped silver for hoop, bronze medals for ribbon and clubs and finished fourth with her rope routine, placing her third overall.

She is now training hard for the British Championships on December 11 and 12.

Another Chandler's Ford girl, Natalie Francis, won the under-ten novice free section and came fourth with her hoop routine.

She also placed second overall in the Southern Region Championship, beaten only by Ellis Tee from Southampton, who won the overall under-ten title and highest score title in the under-ten section.

Tee also scooped silver medals for the intermediate hoop and free routine, while Courtney Jones from Portsmouth achieved bronze in the under-ten Southern Region Championship.

Portsmouth's Claire Cornish won two bronze medals for ball and rope in the intermediate section and silver in the overall Southern Region junior category.

The Southern Region under-eight title also went to Portsmouth's Emily Watts, who added hoop silver to her haul, while another Pompey girl, Sian Heard took bronze medals in the novice under-12 section for rope and ball and was also crowned under-12 Southern Region champion.

Southampton's Freya Tee competed with just ball in the intermediate under-12 section, having only recently joined the Portsmouth Rhythmic Gymnastics Club.

Even so, she came away with a silver medal for ball and was second overall in the Southern Region under-12 section. She also won a trophy for the highest apparatus score in the under-12 Southern Region.

Sophie Varkonyi from Chandler's Ford also competed with ball having only been at the club since September. She struck bronze and came third in the Southern Region.

The girls all train at the Portsmouth RGC under the expert eye of Jaquie Coombs, Carolyn Small and regional judge Alex Algeries.