'It's not just throwing yourself across rooftops'

More than 100 parkour athletes from across the world have gathered in South Yorkshire to take part in an international competition.

Athletes as young as 11 will compete at indoor venue, NovaCity in Rotherham, as part of Project Underground which began in 2016.

NovaCity managing director Liam Norbury said the three-day event ranked competitors on skill, speed and style.

He said: "Ten years ago you would say parkour and no one would have a clue what you were on about apart from athletes and on James Bond, but now even if people don't know the term parkour they know free running."

The event brings athletes together from the United States, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Vietnam and the UK.

Head coach Samuel Coppack said the gym was part of a thriving South Yorkshire parkour scene.

He said: "There's plenty of spots around Sheffield that have become iconic in the UK scene that people travel to.

"The heart of parkour is exploring the environment that you're in."

Mr Coppack, 31, has been involved in the sport for 17 years and began coaching in 2012.

"It's my passion. I love doing it and I've seen many amazing things through the sport and now I'm really focussed on bringing up the next generation – bringing up more people into it."

Hugo, 11, from Reading is competing in the style event with his team Menaces. He has been practising the sport for six years.

He said: "I like the feeling when you land something and it's a good exercise.

"I started off doing gymnastics and then I moved into parkour. It was a gradual change. I started watching stunt videos and films where they do flips and I thought it was pretty cool and I decided to start parkour."

The sport has taken him across Europe, and he said his ambition was to continue to compete across the world.

Mr Coppack said the sport offered a sense of community as well as a creative way to stay fit and strong.

"There's a phrase in parkour – people say parkour for life – and it's tongue in cheek because as we get older our bodies change and things become more difficult and we accept that but it's a lifestyle sport .

"It's not just being young and doing crazy stuff, it's a measured approach of how you can use your body over time, being strong and being capable.

"I want to be doing this for a very long time. Because it's a broad sport with so many different avenues – it's not just throwing yourself across rooftops – there's plenty of lower impact things you can do."

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