Saturday, 23 October 2010

Tweddle lands third world title on brilliant day for Britain

Congratulations Beth, report taking in full from our friends at Inside the Game


Beth Tweddle claimed her third world title with gold on the uneven bars on a stunning day for British gymnastics at the World Championships in Rotterdam.

The 25-year-old, the champion on the floor last year, regained the title she first won in 2006 with a near-flawless routine on her signature piece of equipment while her main rivals faltered.

Teenager Dan Purvis claimed his first World Championship medal by taking bronze on the floor, while Beijing bronze medallist Louis Smith collected silver on the pommel horse.

The 21-year-old was looking to put behind him memories of last year in London when he fell off the equipment, and he achieved that aim in style.

Tweddle was thrilled with her win, a result she believes is down to long, hard hours in training.

She capitalised as Chinese rivals China's He Kexin and Huang Qiushuang both fell.

"I've said from the beginning it was theirs to lose and mine to gain," said Tweddle.

"That's what happened.

"It means everything to me to regain the bars title.

"I have worked so hard day in, day out in the gym for this, so I'm very proud. I wasn't watching the previous routines but from the noise of the crowd I could tell the two Chinese girls ahead of me had fallen.

"I tried to remain calm but I knew at that point that if I went clean I had a great chance of winning the title."

Second to Russia's Aliya Mustafina, who had already won the all-round title and team gold at these Championships.

It gives Tweddle's hopes for London 2012 a massive boost.

"Everyone keeps telling me how old I am but the motivation is there, and the main motivation is London 2012," she said.

"After Beijing, someone showed me an interview I had done where I said I'd be far too old for 2012, but since then I've been getting the results - and why give up on something you're still enjoying?

"I've got every title to my name now apart from an Olympic one and I'd be happy with any Olympic medal, it doesn't have to be gold."

Smith, meanwhile, put his Olympic challenge back on track with his performance as he finished second to Hungary's Krisztian Berki.

"This medal really rounds of a fantastic competition for Britain," said Smith, a 21-year-old from Huntingdon.

"For me personally, I've come here and hit every routine clean, having put a lot of pressure on myself after falling last year and I’m very proud that I made no mistakes and proved myself once again.”

Purvis, who had finished fifth in the all-round final, was naturally elated with his first World Championship medal in a competition won by Greece's Eleftherios Kosmidis with Japan's Kohei Uchimura claiming silver.

"It’s really a dream come true to win a World medal," said the 19-year-old from Liverpool.

"I was watching the scores come in and knew it would be tough to be up there but I managed to hold my nerve.

"It been an amazing year for me but most of all its been great year for Great Britain.”

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