Becky Downie couldn’t round off her superb year with a medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships but that didn’t stop her from smiling in Nanning.
Downie headed to the World Championships having claimed both the European and Commonwealth uneven bars titles as well as silver and gold in the team events at both respectively.
Sixth in the team event with her British counterparts in China, Downie turned her attentions to the uneven bars final and would record her best ever World Championship placing.
Downie placed fifth, a performance matched by four-time Commonwealth champion Claudia Fragapane in the vault final, and the 22-year-old was more than happy with her effort.
“Of course it’s a bit disappointing not to be in the medals but overall to have competed three great routines, I couldn’t ask for much more than that,” said Downie.
“This year has been brilliant for me and this result again is massively encouraging going forward.”
Debutant Courtney Tulloch was sixth in the rings final while Daniel Keatings, a world all-around silver medallist in 2009, was disappointed not to claim a medal place in the pommel.
He lost his form mid routine and slipped slightly, fighting hard to stay on which limited his score to 15.133 and would place him eighth. Ruby Harrold was also eighth in the uneven bars final.
© Sportsbeat 2014