To many, Dr Angela Turner is a senior teaching fellow in humanities at the University of Strathclyde, preparing the next generation for what lies ahead. Outside her day job, Angela is leading her own campaign for change, working to revolutionise gymnastics by securing its place in the Paralympic Games.
Angela is the chair of the British Gymnastics Disability Gymnastics Panel and a member of the World Gymnastics Para Gymnastics Working Group. Naturally, inclusivity within the sport has always been a priority for her.
Angela said, “I’ve been coaching for 30 years across a number of disciplines, but mainly men’s artistic and women’s artistic gymnastics.
“From the beginning of my coaching career, I wanted to create spaces where everyone could experience the joy and sense of achievement that comes from being involved in gymnastics.
“I have always loved the sport, and I think my specialist knowledge and interest in disability/para gymnastics just grew over time through working with lots of different individuals and groups - and learning how little was out there for these potential gymnasts elsewhere.”
Creating opportunities for all
Angela is the lead disability coach at City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club where she has placed a strong focus on para gymnastics thanks to its purpose-built facility. The club initially launched recreational disability sessions, giving people the opportunity to try a sport that many may never have considered accessible to them.
As participation grew, so did the programme. Recreational sessions evolved into competitive para squads, creating clear pathways for gymnasts to progress in the sport. Some gymnasts developed to the point where they joined existing club squads, competing alongside gymnasts without disabilities and demonstrating the inclusive potential of the sport.
Big strides have been made since Turner first became involved in para gymnastics. A significant milestone came at the Scottish National Artistic Gymnastics Championships in February, where athletes from across the country helped test early versions of the para gymnastics Code of Points. For Angela, it was both a proud moment and an important step towards the discipline's long-term goal of Paralympic inclusion.
Para gymnastics featured at the British Artistic Gymnastics Championships for the first time in 2026, marking another landmark moment for the sport. Together, these developments highlight the progress being made and the growing recognition of para gymnastics on the national stage.
A pathway to success
So, how close is gymnastics to achieving the dream of Paralympic inclusion? Angela says the next major milestone is the approval of the working group’s Sport Classes – the categories used to group athletes in para sport. The hope is that these classifications will be approved and shared with national federations after the summer.
“These will form the guidance for an initial 12-month pilot phase, but are an important step forward for this exciting project,” said the Strathclyde lecturer.
Para gymnastics is already recognised by World Gymnastics as an official discipline. Next up, is approval from the International Paralympic Committee. “We hope firstly to be recognised as a developing sport” the City of Glasgow coach stated.
“Then we must work to build robust classification and competition structure, and to increase involvement across National Federations. This is to ensure we have enough nations/continental unions involved in the pathway, which is an important milestone for inclusion in the Paralympic Games.”
The sporting line-up for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles has already been set, so the next opportunity for para gymnastics to feature at the Games will be in Brisbane, four years later.
A dream within reach
If para gymnastics makes its Paralympic debut in Brisbane in 2032, Angela Turner will be able to look back with pride on the part she played in its journey.
“It’s wonderful to see the discipline taking such a significant step forward – it has been a long time coming,” said Angela. “I’m excited about what the future holds for para gymnastics and can’t wait for a wider audience to be inspired by these amazing gymnasts.”
She added, “I am so pleased that more opportunities are emerging for the para gymnasts who work so hard and deserve the same opportunities to compete and excel in their chosen sport.”
While securing Paralympic recognition would be a landmark achievement, the broader ambition is even more significant: creating a sport that is accessible and inclusive for all. That vision has been at the heart of Angela’s efforts from the very beginning.
Angela said, “I do think we are leading the way in terms of an inclusive competition approach here in Scotland. But there is always more we can learn, more clubs we can involve and more we can be doing in this space to make gymnastics inclusive, and for the many benefits of the sport at all levels to be available to all.”
Photo credits: Ewan Bootman
