Jessica Gadirova grabs brilliant European bronze for Great Britain at European Championships
BySportsbeat
Updated 23/04/2021 at 19:08 GMT
The 16-year-old secures a podium at her first senior major championships. "I really wasn't expecting that at all. I put no pressure on myself I just wanted to come out and show Europe what I can do and do the best performance I could," she said after picking up a brilliant bronze medal in Switzerland
Jessica Gadirova celebrates on the podium with the bronze medal during the award ceremony of the Women's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel, on April 23, 2021
Image credit: Getty Images
Jessica Gadirova says an increase in confidence has helped to take her gymnastics to the next level after a brilliant all-around bronze at the European Championships.
The 16-year-old, whose twin sister Jennifer is also one of Great Britain's leading female gymnasts, won a major medal at her first senior championships in Basel.
A brilliant vault, which scored 14.600, and floor exercise, 13.700, catapulted Gadirova to the podium, where she narrowly held off compatriot Amelie Morgan.
Gadirova scored a combined 55.100 across the six pieces of apparatus, behind champion Viktoria Listunova of Russia and her team-mate Angelina Melnikova.
Gadirova is Great Britain's second-ever European all-around medallist after Ellie Downie took bronze in 2015, gold in 2017 and silver in 2019.
"I really wasn't expecting that at all. I put no pressure on myself I just wanted to come out and show Europe what I can do and do the best performance I could," she said.
"I'm so proud of myself, from qualifications the main focus was to improve on beam so to do that and compete so well again feels amazing.
"I've worked really hard, made upgrades on all pieces and importantly I believe in myself and have a lot more confidence than I've ever had before which has really helped me.
"It's just crazy to have a medal around my neck - so so crazy. Jennifer (twin sister and fellow GB gymnast) has been messaging me all week saying how exited she is for me and telling me to go out and smash it and enjoy the moment and that's what I did."
In the men's competition, Jake Jarman finished in 10th place and Joshua Nathan 12th.
Gadirova will try and win a second medal in he vault final on Saturday, while Joe Fraser goes in the pommel horse final.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement