Beth Tweddle (pictured), Kat Driscoll and Francesca Jones are among the 18 gymnasts that have today been named as part of Team GB for the London 2012 Olympics.
Team GB will compete across five Olympic events in the Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline disciplines at London 2012. British gymnastics has gone from strength to strength recently, with an unprecedented number of World, European and international titles won in the last four years.
Three-time World Champion Beth Tweddle leads the women’s selection. She is Great Britain’s most successful gymnast in history, and represented Team GB at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, where she narrowly missed out on a medal by finishing fourth in the asymmetric bars competition.
Beth will look to carry the fine form she displayed at the 2012 British Championships last month, where she claimed double-gold in the bars and floor competitions.
Speaking of her selection, the 27-year-old said: “It is of course a massive honour to be selected to Team GB for the Olympic Games. This is my third Olympics and with it being on home soil it’s definitely the most special. The build-up has been totally different and you really feel the support of the whole country. Everyone knows everything about the Games this year and people are really interested in all the events and all the team members.
“From Beijing to here has been a long journey. After 2008 I wasn’t even sure I would carry on, but the huge support for London and the enthusiasm of the public has really motivated me and inspired me to carry on training hard. Everything about competing in the Olympic Games is exciting, the moment you get the official letter, the kitting out, the multi-sport atmosphere, it’s all a huge honour to be a part of and I can’t wait.”
Beth is joined by 23-year-old Imogen Cairns, who is regarded as one of Great Britain’s finest vaulters. After suffering injury troubles during the early stages of her career, Imogen is now firmly back on the international scene, and claimed two gold and one silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Fifteen-year-old Rebecca Tunney is also included in the squad, and she will be Team GB’s youngest athlete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Selected female gymnasts:
Women’s Artistic
• Imogen Cairns
• Jennifer Pinches
• Rebecca Tunney
• Elizabeth Tweddle
• Hannah Whelan
Trampoline Individual Female
• Katherine Driscoll
Rhythmic Individual
• Francesca Jones
Rhythmic Group
• Georgina Cassar
• Jade Faulkner
• Francesca Fox
• Lynne Hutchison
• Louisa Pouli
• Rachel Smith
The Artistic gymnasts will kick off Team GB’s gymnastics campaign at London 2012, with the competition taking place from July 28 to the August 2, and from August 5-7 at the North Greenwich Arena. The Trampoline Gymnastics competition will also take place at the same venue, on August 3&4. Rhythmic Gymnastics will be held at Wembley Arena from August 9-12.
Sportsister,
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Image credit: Alan Edwards www.f2images.co.uk
