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Rhythmic gymnast Alice Leaper is relieved she was finally able to reveal to friends and family about her Commonwealth Games selection for Team England, having had to keep it secret.

The 19-year-old was confirmed as part of the team last month, after coming through the selection events.

Fylde's Leaper finished second at the 2022 Rhythmic English Championship.

"My nanna and poppa kept asking me, and I just had to lie to them," Leaper told ����ý Radio Lancashire.

"It was really difficult to keep a secret. It was fun when I could finally tell them."

Having been involved in gymnastics since the age of five, Leaper was a senior English champion in 2019 and appeared in only her second Europeans this year, finishing 43rd in the ribbon and 47th in the clubs.

Being part of a tournament squad for a home Commonwealth Games, with Birmingham the host city for 2022, is a big thing for the gymnast and her family.

"It's really exciting, we've been working towards this for so long and it's really exciting," she continued.

"There were four selection events and in all of them I came second, so I was in with a really good chance but there's always that bit in the back of your mind when you're not sure.

"When I was selected it was a massive relief but obviously we couldn't tell anyone."