• European Gymnastics Championships

Tweddle claims double European glory for Britain

ESPN staff
May 2, 2010
Beth Tweddle's routine was extremely complicated © Getty Images
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Beth Tweddle defended her two European individual titles to confirm her status as a major hope of a British gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Tweddle first beat Russia's Aliya Mustafina to the uneven bars gold medal on Sunday, drawing huge cheers from her home support in Birmingham. Then the 25-year-old reverted to her strongest event, the floor, where she maintained her status as world and European champion.

Tweddle's efforts take Britain's tally to seven senior medals over the past two weeks. She now has five months before the World Championships in Rome, but the City of Liverpool athlete only has one focus on her mind.

"I'm still getting results but an Olympic medal is the only reason I'm carrying on," said Tweddle, who registered a superb score of 15.875 on the bars. "I've got so much to look back over my career and be happy with, but my one aim is an Olympic medal.

"After last night the team were on such a high that it was quite hard to bring ourselves back down. That floor routine was so hard, I just wanted it to end, and I'm glad I've got the week off now."

Elsewhere, 15-year-old Briton Nicole Hibbert finished last in her first major senior championships final, although she can be extremely proud of her performance.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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