Future Bright for Britain As Youth Team Triumph in Sydney
British gymnasts have pulled off a notable victory at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival after beating China to claim gold
At the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Great Britain's gymnasts have done what no nation could do in Beijing – beat the Chinese. Team GB's male artistic gymnasts claimed gold in Sydney today, beating the strong favorites from China into second place.
Victory for the quartet of Reiss Beckford, Sam Oldham, Ashley Watson and Max Whitlock capped a fantastic day for Team GB at the gymnastics sports center as the women's team of Danusia Francis, Nicole Hibbert, Jenni Pinches and Nicole Watson claimed bronze – the same result they achieved two years ago.
The success in Australia is the latest evidence of the growing strength of British gymnastics. Louis Smith won bronze in the pommel horse event at Beijing, while 17-year-old Daniel Keatings recorded the best score on the pommel on his way to claiming 20th in the men's all-round final. Both are former Youth Olympians, with Smith beating Keatings to the gold in the pommel in 2007. Keatings also took the silver in the floor exercise. In the same year Beth Tweddle took gold at the World Championships in the uneven bars.
Britons will get a chance to cheer on Smith, Tweddle et al in October when the O2 Arena hosts the World Gymnastics Championships.
Commenting on today's success team leader, Vince Walduck described it as a "fitting result" for the "exceptionally talented individuals" in the men's team. "It is a delight for the team," he said. "For the women to win a medal and then the men to win the first gold medal for the British team at this Youth Olympic Festival is amazing."
In front of a packed crowd, the women's team emulated the bronze they won two years ago with particularly pleasing performances by Francis on the floor and Hibbert on the bars. The only disappointment was an injury sustained to Pinches in the last rotation, which prevented her performing on her strongest apparatus, the vault. A strong performance by the Chinese saw them take gold with Japan in silver.
Earlier on day two Team GB claimed their first medal of the five-day festival when the flat water canoeist Edward Rutherford took bronze in the men's K1 1,000 meters.
Victory for the quartet of Reiss Beckford, Sam Oldham, Ashley Watson and Max Whitlock capped a fantastic day for Team GB at the gymnastics sports center as the women's team of Danusia Francis, Nicole Hibbert, Jenni Pinches and Nicole Watson claimed bronze – the same result they achieved two years ago.
The success in Australia is the latest evidence of the growing strength of British gymnastics. Louis Smith won bronze in the pommel horse event at Beijing, while 17-year-old Daniel Keatings recorded the best score on the pommel on his way to claiming 20th in the men's all-round final. Both are former Youth Olympians, with Smith beating Keatings to the gold in the pommel in 2007. Keatings also took the silver in the floor exercise. In the same year Beth Tweddle took gold at the World Championships in the uneven bars.
Britons will get a chance to cheer on Smith, Tweddle et al in October when the O2 Arena hosts the World Gymnastics Championships.
Commenting on today's success team leader, Vince Walduck described it as a "fitting result" for the "exceptionally talented individuals" in the men's team. "It is a delight for the team," he said. "For the women to win a medal and then the men to win the first gold medal for the British team at this Youth Olympic Festival is amazing."
In front of a packed crowd, the women's team emulated the bronze they won two years ago with particularly pleasing performances by Francis on the floor and Hibbert on the bars. The only disappointment was an injury sustained to Pinches in the last rotation, which prevented her performing on her strongest apparatus, the vault. A strong performance by the Chinese saw them take gold with Japan in silver.
Earlier on day two Team GB claimed their first medal of the five-day festival when the flat water canoeist Edward Rutherford took bronze in the men's K1 1,000 meters.
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