Occupation
Athlete, Student
Education
Exercise Science, Sport Studies - Leeds Beckett University: England
Spoken languages
English
Club
Leeds Gymnastics Club: England
Coach
Andy Butcher [club]; David Murray [club]; Baz Collie [national]
Injuries
He injured both of his ankles at the 2021 British Championships while competing in the floor exercise. He had been attempting to land a triple back somersault. (olympics.com, 26 May 2023)
Start sporting career
He took up gymnastics at age four.
Reason for taking up the sport
He joined an after-school gymnastics club at Salterhebble Junior and Infants School in Halifax, England.
Ambitions
To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (olympics.com, 26 May 2023)
Trainings
He trains for 30 hours a week.
Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in the individual floor exercise at the 2023 European Championships in Antalya, Turkiye. (leedsbeckett.ac.uk, 19 Apr 2023)
Awards
In 2022 he was named Sportsman of the Year by Leeds Beckett University. (teamgb.com, 15 Apr 2023)
Additional information
HIGH DIFFICULTY MOVE
He incorporated a triple back somersault into his floor routine at the 2023 European Championships in Antalya, Turkiye, where he won gold. He had first tried the move at competitive level in 2021 but injured his ankles while trying to land it. "At the start of this year [speaking in 2023], I decided I need that skill back, it's a high-value skill. I've been working on it since then and I think I've solidified it now. It's a really hard skill, and it's obviously quite dangerous as well because you're rotating backwards, you can't see where you're going. You're feeling where you are in the air but by doing repetitions and repetitions, you eventually know where you are, and you know when you can kick out and when it's safe." (olympics.com, 26 May 2023; Instagram profile, 15 Apr 2023)
SPORT AND STUDIES
He combines his sporting career with studying for a degree in sports and exercise therapy at Leeds Beckett University in England. "The gymnastics helps me with the biomechanics and sports physiology elements as I have got to know my body pretty well through injuries and training. Equally the course is teaching me how to manage my body and ensure I protect myself, but also the recovering and maintenance." (leedsbeckett.ac.uk, 19 Apr 2023)
Last update : 2024-07-22
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