MANNINGTREE gymnast Crystal Watts has been crowned Thailand national junior champion for 2017.

The Suffolk county champion, 14, was up against 70 other gymnasts at the Thailand National Championships.

After competing over two days, something she had never done before, she came out with the top score, not just winning a medal but being crowned junior champion.

Watts also qualified for all four apparatus finals, to be competed for over another two days.

Her results led to two more national titles, winning the vault and uneven bars national titles as well.

By day four, Watts was visibly tired, which inevitably led to mistakes on the last two pieces - beam and floor.

Even with these mistakes, she still managed a silver medal on the floor.

She also helped her team take second place, which meant another silver medal.

So out off six potential medals, Watts took five, adding three national titles to her name.

She has now been asked to compete for Thailand in next year's Asian Games, which will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, and also in the Youth Olympics Games, in Argentina.

It is a dream come true for the Ipswich schoolgirl, who is now being considered for the 2020 Olympics in Japan.

Remarkably, 12 months ago she was diagnosed with a bulging disc in her back which threatened to finish her career.

However, with specialist help from physiotherapist Paul Berry, she has fought hard and battled back to fitness.