Pink Leisurewear x Frags & Simm

The Story behind Frags & Simm

For many gymnasts, the dream begins with watching the athletes they admire and imagining what it might feel like to compete on the biggest stages in the world. For Kelly Simm and Claudia Fragapane, those dreams became reality.

Between them, Kelly and Claudia have competed at World Championships, European Championships, Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, achieving an impressive collection of medals and career highlights along the way.

Kelly represented Great Britain at multiple World and European Championships and competed for England at three Commonwealth Games. Her career highlights include becoming a World Championship medallist, British and World University Games all-around champion and a four-time Commonwealth Games medallist.

Claudia represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, as well as competing for England at the Commonwealth Games. She won an incredible four gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, became a two-time World Championship medallist and competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

With so much experience at the highest levels of the sport, the pair knew they had something valuable to share. After retiring from competitive gymnastics in 2024, they knew they wanted to stay involved in gymnastics and find a way to use everything they had learned throughout their careers to benefit young gymnasts.

At the time, both were already visiting gymnastics clubs and delivering individual sessions. They soon realised that combining their experiences could create something even more exciting.

“We both remember how inspiring it was when we were younger to meet and learn from gymnasts we looked up to, so we wanted to create those same opportunities for the next generation.”

Their first Frags & Simm session was created from that idea, and the concept has continued to grow ever since.

What happens on a Frags & Simm day?

No two Frags & Simm sessions are the same.

Before every visit, Kelly and Claudia speak with the club’s coaches to understand the gymnasts taking part and find out whether there are particular skills, areas or themes the club would like them to focus on. The sessions are then tailored to the ages and abilities of the gymnasts.

A typical session begins with a structured warm-up, including conditioning and flexibility work, followed by a dance to work on artistry.

The gymnasts then move onto the apparatus, working on different skills while receiving coaching, advice and tips from Claudia and Kelly. They also introduce exercises and drills that they used during their own competitive careers, giving younger gymnasts a unique insight into an elite gymnasts’ experience.

“Our international careers mean that we can offer young gymnasts an insight into the sport that goes beyond technical skills.

“We can share what it is actually like to progress through gymnastics, compete internationally, manage nerves and pressure, overcome injuries and setbacks, work towards long-term goals, and experience both success and disappointment.”

After the gymnastics comes the part many gymnasts look forward to most – the Q&A and medal showing.

Kelly and Claudia bring some of their medals and share the stories behind them. Gymnasts can then ask questions about their experiences, competitions, training, life as an elite gymnast or anything else they might be curious about.

“We are really honest during our Q&A sessions about our struggles and setbacks as well as our successes, and we have had amazing feedback about how valuable this part of the experience is for the gymnasts.”

The day finishes with photos and autographs, giving every gymnast something to take away and remember the experience.

Taking Frags & Simm around the world

One of the things the pair love most about Frags & Simm is being able to work with such a wide range of gymnasts, from recreational participants through to elite-level athletes.

Claudia and Kelly have received incredible feedback from gymnasts, parents and coaches over the years.

“It is incredibly rewarding to hear about the impact the sessions can have, sometimes long after we have left the club.”

Over the past couple of years, Frags & Simm has taken them beyond the UK, with sessions delivered in Dubai, Thailand, Singapore and Canada.

For a project that began with the simple idea of combining their individual club visits, taking Frags & Simm around the world has been an incredible achievement.

“That is something we never imagined we would achieve when we first decided to team up, so we are very excited to keep working and growing and see where we can go from here.

“Frags and Simm has allowed us to work together in a completely new way and begin building a new legacy within the sport that we are really proud of.”

Their competitive careers may have come to an end, but their passion for gymnastics certainly hasn’t.

Want to experience a session and purchase your own Frags & Simm leotard?

If any clubs or gymnasts would like to enquire about a Frags & Simm experience, you can reach them at fragsandsimm@gmail.com or send them a message on Instagram (@frags.simm).