So what precisely is acrobatic gymnastics?

For starters, it truly tests the aspiring gymnast and presents those who might have started as ‘artistic’ athletes quite different challenges.

Elements of balance, strength, tumbling, vaulting and rebound come into play, on the floor and in the air, rather than on the beams and bars you associate with the artistic version.

The appreciable difference lies, however, in teamwork – acrobatic gymnastics is all about operating in pairs and groups, leading to spectacular and breathtaking action for spectators to delight in, as those who follow King Edmund GC at home and overseas will testify.

The sport, open to males and females, was awarded Olympic recognition as long ago as 1984 by the International Olympic Committee, and while that has yet to come to fruition, competitors can and do partake in the World Games, a similar spectacle involving a variety of sports held every four years and fully recognised by the IOC.

In short, acrobatic gymnastics, often accompanied by music, is about choreography, courage, strength and stamina, which demands flexibility, co-ordination and skill.

When it comes to balance, there are few more spectacular sights in sport than pyramid displays, which, it goes without saying, entail the highest risks.