British Gymnastics’ New Era
The Gold medal on A. Bars and the Silver on Floor of Beth
Tweddle, at the World Cup Final in Brazil, 16/17 December
2006, rounded up what will remain in the history of British
Gymnastics as “The New Era” in its development.
Starting at the European Championships in Volos in May, the
21-year-old from Liverpool won every significant title on
A. Bars available throughout the year: the World title in
Aarhus, Denmark, in October and the Gold medal at the World
Cup Final in Sao Paolo, Brazil, to be deservingly recognised
as the 2006 Queen of the A. Bars. Thus, the only significant
title missing from Beth’s collection is, the Olympic
Gold.
Beth’s name not only turned into a household name for
just a few weeks; it gave a strong and very long awaited boost
to Gymnastics in the eyes of the British Media and to the
development of this sport in the country.
However, Beth Tweddle’s success is just the top of
an iceberg of achievements within British Gymnastics, each
one of which is awaiting their proper recognition.
Louis Smith, 17, from Huntingdon became
the 2006 Commonwealth Games and European Junior Champion on
Pommel Horse and 5th, between the greatest performers on the
this apparatus at the World Cup Final in Brazil.
Imogen Cairns, 17, from Portishead, is the
2006 Commonwealth Games Champion on Vault and European and
World Cup Finalist.
Claire Wright, 27, from Rushmoor, won the
Bronze medal at the World Cup Final in Trampoline in Birmingham
in November, and together with her partner Jaime Moore, won
the Gold in Synchro at the Ghent (BEL) World Cup event.
A number of other gymnasts added to the success of Imogen
Cairn’s and Louis Smith’s at the Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne: David Eaton, 26, from Hinckley- Silver
medal on High Bar; Adam Cox, 20 from Leeds - Bronze on High
Bar; Shavahn Church, 17, from Heathrow - Silver medal on A.
Bars; Becky Downie, 14, from Nottingham- Bronze on Beam.
The British Gymnastics community can’t wait for the
inclusion of Tumbling and Acrobatics in the Olympic programme,
since the lack of Olympic status really deprives the European
Champion and World Cup holder in Tumbling Samantha Palmer,
the World Champions in the Acrobatics Men’s Four from
Bromley Valley G.C. (Adam Denny, Adam Dobbs, Adam Smith, Andrew
Price) and a great number of other European and World medallists,
from proper recognition in this country.
Long lists of medals and/or Finals achieved, in all the Gymnastics
disciplines, on both Senior and Junior levels, at all the
most important competitions throughout 2006 will be written
in the Associations reviews for the year. But what brings
satisfaction and hope for the future more than the impressive
statistics is the obvious shaping of a new mentality within
British Gymnastics. Our gymnasts don’t just participate
anymore. They compete. And they compete to win!
For the Association, founded in 1888, and having existed
for over 118 years predominantly on the enthusiasm of several
generations of amateurs, before the World Class Performance
Programme came on board in 1997, the new self- confidence
of a medal-winning nation seems to be the best and the most
promising achievement for the year. Just in time – as
both Beijing 2008 and London 2012 stand on the horizon.
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