"A lot of people don't quite understand the sport but it is actually very demanding, " said Irish champion David Doyne, 23, from Rathcoole, Co Dublin, who won two silver medals and one bronze in Canada.

"It requires stamina and balance, gymnastic ability as well as dance skills, all while coping with a baton. The Irish team are really beginning to make their mark internationally, but that hasn't really been recognised over here yet."

Baton Twirling was introduced here by David's mother, Margaret Doyne, in 1973 as an alternative to majorettes. "We wanted something for the children to do and it took off really well, " she said.

"It lost its popularity a bit in the '90s but in the last few years it has really taken off again and we now have a very strong team, with visiting coaches from France and America."

For David, Baton Twirling has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. "I don't have any memory of when I even started, I've just always been doing it, " he said.

"When you're starting off, it's more a recreational thing, but if you decide to take it on competitively, it can be really rewarding. I have travelled the world with it and that wouldn't have happened without baton twirling."

In Ireland, boys have traditionally not gone very far in the sport and there are only about five Irish men involved professionally now. But this is beginning to change, with more young boys joining clubs around the country.

"It's only in Ireland that men haven't been involved in the sport, " said Doyne, who won a scholarship to London South Bank University on the strength of his baton twirling. "In international competition, there are so many French, Japanese and American men. The sport is much bigger in those countries, while we're always looking for more funding from the Sports Council."

There are currently 500 baton twirlers in Ireland, with four or five national competitions each year. Professionals generally put in two hours' practice a day with such movements as split leaps, double spins and illusions to be mastered.

For Doyne, performing in front of judges and large audiences gets harder rather than easier.

"I'm at the stage where I have something to prove so that puts the pressure on, " he said.

"People know you and they expect a lot of you, so that can make you nervous. But I'm really starting to find my feet now and hopefully have several more years of competing to go."