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Elizabeth (known as "Lizzie") Line is an important member of the national squad. She has established a reputation as an extremely solid and reliable all-around gymnast. This was much in evidence at the 2003 World Championships where she played a crucial part in Great Britain's unexpectedly successful Olympic qualification. Entrusted with the vital lead-off role on every piece of apparatus, cool-headed Lizzie produced four very stable routines, setting the tone for a remarkably steady team performance that saw GB's inexperienced, injury-ravaged squad emerge with the only 100% 'hit' record of the competition to finish in 9th place, equalling the country's best-ever ranking.
Lizzie was born June 7, 1985 to parents Michael and Anita in Chertsey, Surrey, although her hometown is nearby Woking. She has one equally athletic older brother, Robert, who represented the county in swimming. Lizzie has been involved in gymnastics since she was a baby, having started out in a pre-school class at the age of just 18 months! She began proper training when she was 4. Lizzie first appeared on the national scene as a member of her local club, Woking. Although never a really well known junior, she showed great potential as a young gymnast, making her international debut at the age of just 10 in a 1995 junior match versus France. Lizzie medalled at the national age group championships when she was 11 but dropped off the radar somewhat in subsequent years. A strong and stylish performance at the 2000 British junior championships - and the resulting 6th place all-around - brought her back to many people's attention.
Not long afterwards Lizzie moved to Pinewood GC near Wokingham, where she worked initially with Fergus Beedham. Nowadays she is coached there by Natalie Ryan. Since joining the Pinewood club Lizzie has enjoyed considerable success both nationally and internationally. She has placed 5th all-around at the senior British championships on three occasions, and in 2003 became the senior British champion on her best piece - beam, the senior English vice-champion all-around, and was the highest individual scorer at the British teams championships. Lizzie has been selected to represent her country at many prestigious events. Among her most significant international achievements are a bronze medal won with the England team at the 2002 World School Games in France, a silver medal she picked up as a member of the 2002 English Commonwealth Games team, a bronze medal on beam from the 2002 Hungarian International (world championships test event), and AA silver and vault bronze from the 2003 Spieth Cup in Austria. Lizzie helped GB to a best-ever 5th place finish in the team event at the 2004 European Championships in Amsterdam.
On July 11, 2004, Lizzie realized her life-long ambition to be selected for the Athens Olympic Games. The announcement of the team was an overwhelming moment for the 5-foot tall Surrey girl, who has spent recent months training 36 hours a week at the Lilleshall national base in Shropshire. Lizzie's favourite pieces of apparatus are floor, beam and vault, and her idol in the sport is Russia's Svetlana Khorkina. In her spare time she enjoys shopping, reading and listening to music. She is a fan of R&B and her favourite movie is 'Dirty Dancing'. Intelligent and very hard-working, Lizzie has managed to combine high-level gymnastics with academic success. Having already achieved some impressive exam results, she will take up a place at Kingston University to study History and Sociology after the Olympics.
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