The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 is nearing ever closer after what has been a truly exhilarating year for the sport so far, with a record medal haul for British Gymnasts at the Commonwealth Games and a European Championships that saw Britain top the rankings with five gold medals.
Double Commonwealth gold medallist, Georgia-Mae Fenton, the first woman in history to retain the Commonwealth uneven bars title, is now vying for selection for the World Championships as part of the British team. Coming into the competition in strong form following the previous two events, the 21-year-old is excited about the prospect of a home crowd making that crucial difference as the level of competition steps up – with all the world’s best ready to star in Merseyside.
The World Championships will be one of the largest sporting events to ever be held in the city, and Fenton reflected on how special it would be to compete in front of a home crowd:
She said: “Competing at the World Champs, in front of a home crowd, would mean the world to me. Birmingham [the Commonwealth Games] was amazing, the crowd atmosphere made it so special, so to feel that again at Worlds would be amazing. I know how much of a gymnastics city Liverpool is, and everyone will be behind us.”
The World Championships will also double up as qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, adding yet another level of nail-biting competition to watch out for. Over 500 gymnasts from over 70 countries are due to compete at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool, the in-form British teams among them.
With the demanding calendar of major championships, making sure athletes are in top condition requires a lot of hard work and determination, with a remarkably short break of just a few days before Georgia-Mae was back in the gym upgrading her routines.
“Coming back from Euros I had a couple days off but then got straight back to it, back in the gym, upgrading my routines and keeping on top of rehab and fitness. It’s been a really busy year already and I still want to think about how I can get even better, get some upgrades in to try and improve my performances.
“But the hard work will all be worth it to compete at Worlds, in Liverpool and in front of a home crowd when you know everyone is there for you and wants you to do your very best. Knowing everyone is there to support you, and with everyone who has helped on my journey there and backing me, it also gives you that aspect of wanting to perform even better in front of the crowd.”
*The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city. Over 500 gymnasts from more than 70 countries will compete at the M&S Bank Arena from 29 October to 6 November 2022. Tickets are available at www.2022worldgymnastics.com/tickets.
