BASILDON’S South Essex Gymnastics Club have won the British Team Championships for the fifth year in succession, despite being struck by illness and injury.

Jay Thompson missed the event in Leicester with a dislocated elbow while Brinn Bevan took part despite not being fully fit after suffering a back injury earlier on this season.

Max Whitlock’s involvement was also limited due to illness and the fitness problems meant club coach Dave Massam was forced to compete, more than 10 years after he retired.

And coach Scott Hann was delighted South Essex were still able to finish first.

“I’m massively proud and it was particularly pleasing this year because we had so many problems,” said Hann.

“Jay was injured, Brinn was recovering from injury and Max rang me the night before to tell me he was really sick and wouldn’t be able to compete properly.

“All of a sudden we had gone from a team which looked invincible to a team that was patched up.

“But that made winning very special because the team really pulled together.”

Hann labelled Reiss Beckford as ‘king pin’ in the success while Anthony Wise also shone.

However, it was Massam who received an individual award after his unexpected return to action.

“We had to bring in Dave, who is one of our ex gymnasts and is now one of our head coaches,” said Hann.

“He won a special award for team player and did rings and a floor routine which he just made up on the day after not competing for more than 10 years.”

His performances helped South Essex finished nine points clear of their nearest rivals Loughborough University, with Leeds finishing third.

But Hann now wants to build on the success and overtake the record, set by his previous club Bush Harlow, who won the Team Championships seven years in a row.

“We’ve won five in a row but our target is eight because that would set a new record,” said Hann.

“We’re working towards that and we’re really pleased to have won again by what was probably the biggest margin anyone has ever won it by.”

The success also made it a pleasing end to the season for Whitlock.

And he was thrilled to share his latest triumph with his team-mates.

“South Essex is an amazing club, we have a great group and the competition is so important to us so we were so happy to win it again,” said Whitlock.

“We’ve won it five times in a row now but we want to keep pushing and set a new record.

“I couldn’t do that much because I was up all of the night before hand being sick.

“But the other boys were brilliant and pulled out some massive scores to make sure we won.”