Meet Corey Walkes – the multi-medal winning gymnast

Corey Walkes’ gymnastics journey began not with a plan, but a panic. A six-year-old Corey accidentally threw a backflip on a garden trampoline, nearly tumbling off the edge and terrifying his mum enough to sign him up for lessons the very next day. What started as damage control quickly became destiny.

After dabbling in multiple sports, Walkes found his lane in trampolining, progressing from local club sessions to the national circuit and onto the international stage. Watching the London 2012 Olympics lit a spark, and within a year he was representing Great Britain at the World Age Group Championships. Since then, medals have followed – including European Championship Gold in synchronised trampolining and a World Championship team Bronze on home soil in Birmingham. Now training through injuries, pressure and fear, Walkes is entering the LA Olympic cycle focused on higher difficulty, sharper routines and enjoying every bounce along the way.

EARLY YEARS

Why/ and how did you get into gymnastics?
I did loads of sports when I was younger, rugby, taekwondo, fencing the list goes on as did all my siblings. I was the youngest and we had a trampoline in the back garden to mess about on. When I was about 6 years old, I threw a backflip by accident and almost fell off the side! It scared the life out of my mum, so she took me to lessons at our local club (Writhlington School) and that’s where it all began.

What was the name of your first club?
My first club was Writhlington Gymnastics but competitively on the national circuit I competed for Team Bath Evolution. Later I joined Quayside TGC with Head Coach Sue Bramble where I began my international career.

When did you get into competitive gymnastics?
I did my first competition at six years old. After watching the 2012 Olympics I realised I could go to the Olympics in trampoline gymnastics as a career. One year later I joined the National Team for the first time at the World Age Group Championships in Bulgaria.

Tell us about your first success within the sport?
I won my first international championship medal at the 2014 World age group Championships in the 13-14s Men’s age group where I came 2nd. Which was the first time I realised I could potentially compete with some of the world’s best. In terms of major titles, in synchronised trampoline myself and my synchro partner Zak Perzamamonos won our first major title at the European Championships in 2024. It was a surreal and unexpected moment for us with everything coming together perfectly at the right moment!

HEROES

Who inspired you when you were young?
Outside of sport two of my biggest inspirations have been my parents. Their dedication and work ethic to enable me to chase my dreams has always driven me to show up even when times are tough. Within gymnastics my longtime training partner and Olympian, Laura Gallagher has always led the way with our club program, her dedication to overcoming adversity over her career and the advice she has given me over the years has definitely moulded me to become a better trampolinist and person.

Who do you admire in the sport now, and why?
I would say all of my teammates! I was really fortunate to be selected as a travelling reserve for the Paris Games, meaning I got to shadow the Olympic team throughout the buildup to competition. Watching them achieve their hopes and dreams on the biggest stage in sports despite all the pressures, struggles and doubts will be something I’ll always value and admire about them. Seeing behind the curtain of what makes the flashy performances come together when it counts is massive! and made me proud to be a part of our National Team.

GRASSROOTS

What would you say to someone thinking about trying Trampolining?
Give it a go! There is so much to learn in the sport but mainly in surprising yourself with what you your body is capable of. There is no better feeling than the rush you get from overcoming fear to learn a new skill, or the fun in crashing safely and laughing about it with your friends. Go and see what you can do!

What do you wish you’d known when you first started out?
The time will go so fast, make sure you make the most of every experience and live every success and every failure fully. Don’t be afraid to fall; it’s meant to happen!

Don’t take it too seriously, crashing is part of the job!

TRAINING

How often do you train?
Four days a week on the trampoline 5 Days in the gym doing strengthening exercises.

Describe a typical training session of yours?
Depending on competition prep, I like to start with empty routine drills to warm up. Sometimes I will throw in some new skills I’m learning to get the adrenaline pumping after before going into routine training for competition.

What is your favourite part of training?
Learning new skills and training empty routines to get used to timing!

Best piece of advice you’ve received from a coach?
Don’t take it too seriously, crashing is part of the job!

Which part of your body suffers the most in your sport?
My back by far! I think the sport has shrunk me

What’s the toughest thing about being an athlete?
Dealing with recurring injuries What’s the hardest part/skill in trampolining to master? Fearless mentality under pressure. Skill wise for me personally the Miller + or Killer, (double back 4 twists) Took me forever to learn as the skill is essentially blind because it twists so fast so it’s all reliant on trusting your body to know where you are.

MOTIVATION

What is your training mantra?
Keep going! How do you keep going mentally when things get tough? I remember that the work has to get done regardless of how I feel, so I try to find fun and challenge in the struggles. It’s all part of the journey and makes the story more interesting, if you can do it feeling terrible then you can do it anytime. Also blast music out of a speaker that normally helps!

Do you have any mental exercises you complete or something/someone you think about?
For competitions mainly just trying to replicate the best of training, no more – no less and remove the emotion. Sometimes I experiment with visualisation however it is still in development.

How do you deal with losses/setbacks?
I will always remind myself I would rather try and fail than never try at all. Figure out what went wrong and note it down, learn and focus on what is next.

What do you do to freshen-up your training routine?
I like to try new skills / combos that I’ve been thinking of but largely I keep things the same. I like a consistent routine.

NUTRITION

What performance foods do you enjoy most and why?
Crazy for a chocolate rice-cake, perfect mix for an energy burst pre-training.

What’s your go-to feel-good treats?
Usually mango! I am a sweet head, so I try to stave it off with fruit as much as possible!

How does nutrition improve your performance?
Energy for training, recovery so that you can train the next day! also something to look forward to if you have/are a good chef!

Have you got a favourite recipe you can share?
I only cook the basics but anything my girlfriend cooks! She makes a sensational salt and pepper chicken noodles.

FUN STUFF

Can you share three fun facts about yourself that not many people would know about you?

Are there any sports you aren’t good at?
Terrible at football

How do you unwind away from the sport?
Usually enjoy watching other sports! going for drives, walks and catching up with friends.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened during a competition?
During a warm-up a spring broke on one of the trampolines which pinged all the way up to the top tier seating in the arena!

LOOKING BACK & AHEAD

What’s been your greatest sporting moment/achievement so far?
Winning team bronze in front of a home crowd at the 2023 World Championships in Birmingham.

What are your plans, aims and hopes for the upcoming year/season?
Put some new, more difficult routines down in competition to kick off the LA Olympic cycle. Outside of sport I will be finishing my management and economics degree which will give me more space to focus on being the best athlete I can.