EIGHT year-old Jamieson Battistella does not walk into her weekly gymnastics classes – she runs.

And she makes sure her parents run with her.

The Derrimut schoolgirl is so passionate about her sport, she refuses to miss a single class.

A Grade 3 student at Deer Park Primary School, Jamieson has been taking gymnastics classes for the past three years.

And she’s taken to the sport like a duck to water.

Although just starting out in the sport, the youngster has already achieved great success.

Last month she and her team won gold in the Gymnastics Unlimited regional competition, while Jamieson herself took out two gold and one bronze in the individuals.

“We certainly don’t need to drag her to training,” Dad David says.

“She’s always been sporty but we were quite surprised by how quickly she’s picked it up.

“She’s not shy either, which helps, because she doesn’t get nervous performing with people watching her.

“And if she loses she doesn’t get too upset by it, she just takes it in her stride.”

Jamieson and her squad of eight girls are coached by 19-year-old Alysha Montebello.

“I’ve been really surprised just how well Jamieson and the rest of the team have done this year,” Ms Montebello said.

“I’m really proud of them.”

Jamieson and her fellow team members will be competing at the Gymstar gymnastics competition in Footscray this month.