Craig Heap
| Craig Heap | |
|---|---|
| — Gymnast — | |
| Full name | Craig Heap |
| Nickname(s) | Heapster Heapie |
| Country represented |
 United Kingdom England
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| Born |
10 July 1973 Burnley, England |
| Hometown | Burnley |
| Discipline | Men's artistic gymnastics |
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Medal record
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Craig Heap (born in Burnley, Lancashire, England) is a retired Commonwealth Games Gold medal winning gymnast who has represented England over 100 times in various international gymnastic competitions, including at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He has been the English and British champion as well as the captain on many occasions.
Heap began as a gymnast when he was just nine years old after his parents took him to classes out of simple desperation as he was very hyperactive as a child, in an interview with the BBC he stated;
I was a bit of a tearaway as a kid, always jumping over the sofas and racing around the yard. My sister Nicola used to go to gym classes and one day my mum said: 'Instead of leaping over the furniture, get yourself down to the gym with your sister.
After progressing as a junior gymnast Heap eventually became professional and trained full-time though he struggled for money as the grants from Sport England were not vast sums of money nor was much money generated through sponsorship. A series of injuries only helped to exacerbate his financial shortfalls as long periods out meant even less money. Heap had many such injuries throughout his career, undergoing five operations on his left elbow, surgery to both shoulders, calves, shins, an ankle and a wrist. Since retiring from gymnastics Heap has taken a more media related role, appearing on Blue Peter, BBC's 'They Think its all Over', 'Simply the Best' and commentating for the BBC on gymnastics as well as visiting schools around the UK.
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