Olympic24: Rio qualification confirmed for male gymnasts

Great Britain will have both a women’s and men’s team at Rio 2016 after the latter had their place confirmed at the World Gymnastics Championships.

The top eight nations in Glasgow were guaranteed places at next year’s Olympic Games.

And Great Britain’s men comfortably achieved that after eventually finishing qualifying in third place behind Japan and China with a score of 354.417.

The team consists of Max Whitlock, Dan Purvis, Louis Smith, Nile Wilson, Kristian Thomas and Brinn Bevan with the World Championship men’s team final taking place on Wednesday.

Team captain Thomas said: "Getting the GB team to Rio was absolutely the number one priority coming in to these World Championships and we're all delighted to have got the job done.

“Every member of the team contributed and we go into the team final knowing we have even more to offer to push for a medal.

“We're all loving being here in Glasgow, the arena is brilliant and the crowd went crazy for us, hoping for more of the same in the finals!"

Joe Clarke and Fionna Pennie have won the final two provisional places in the Great Britain slalom squad for Rio 2016.

On a tight day of racing at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, Clarke and Pennie narrowly came out on top in the K1 competitions.

Clarke beat Huw Swetman and Bradley Forbes-Cryans on countback while Pennie edged out Lizzie Neave – reversing the tables from London 2012 where the latter got the nod.

"It's a massive relief and it was all down to how Lizzie performed on that final run because I messed up on the second and was relying on my first," said Beijing 2008 Olympian Pennie.

"The minute 2012 was over I remember standing at the back gate here and saying that now we start for 2016.

"Ever since then I have put in three years of hard work and have had some medals along the way and now it's come good.

Team GB's official selections for Rio 2016 will be confirmed by the British Olympic Association on 4 November.

Laura Trott and Katie Archibald will aim to pick up from where they left off at the recent European Championships after being named in the Great Britain team for the Track Cycling World Cup in Cali, Colombia.

The 2015/2016 UCI Track Cycling World Cup series gets underway in Colombia with three days of action from October 30 to November 1.

And Great Britain have opted to select a strong team with Trott and Archibald – winner of a hat-trick of European titles each in Grenchen earlier this month – both included.

"We had some really promising performances at the recent European championships and we'll be hoping to take that form into the first track world cup of the season," said Great Britain Cycling Team coach co-ordinator Iain Dyer.

"We have selected a strong squad as we look to keep scoring vital qualifying points for the Olympics in Rio."

The 46-year-old is conscious, breathing on his own and communicating with family and doctors, according to British Eventing.

He suffered a ‘head trauma’ after falling from his horse Reinstated on October 17 and remains in a French hospital.

Three-time Olympic medallist Fox-Pitt is Great Britain’s most successful rider with 20 major championship medals.

Sportsbeat 2015