Pommel horse world champion Max Whitlock headlines a strong Great Britain team for the 2016 Artistic Gymnastics European Championships in Bern, Switzerland next week.
The event is the last major championships for prospective Olympians to show what they can do before Rio 2016 this summer and runs from Wednesday May 25 to Sunday June 5.
Whitlock is one of ten senior British athletes selected to compete in Switzerland and is joined on the men’s side by fellow World Championship team silver medal winners Dan Purvis, Louis Smith, Kristian Thomas and Nile Wilson.
And men’s head national coach Eddie Van Hoof acknowledges just how crucial the event is in terms of preparation for the Olympic Games.
“This is an important championship, particularly with Rio just eight weeks after, and a good opportunity to try some tactical options,” he explained.
“We have a strong team with a good balance of experience and youth who are all highly motivated as they step up preparations for the Olympics.
“For the juniors the expectation is to try and continue our successful run and they are working very hard to follow in the footsteps of the senior gymnasts.”
The format of this year’s European Champions is the same as 2014 with medals awarded for senior team and individual apparatus events and junior team, all-around and apparatus events.
Last year’s Europeans saw Team GB’s senior gymnasts scoop a record six apparatus medals – a haul they will be keen to match or even beat this time around.
The women’s squad consists of European bars champion Becky Downie with fellow World Championship team bronze medallists Ellie Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold and 2014 European team silver medallist Rebecca Tunney.
Amy Tinkler will remain at home as she focuses on her upcoming school exams but women’s head national coach Amanda Reddin is keen to see how those heading to Bern are shaping up with Rio in mind.
“For the senior girls this is another big step on the road to Rio and a chance to compete some new skills and combinations that they’ve been working on in preparation for the Games,” she said.
“The juniors have the opportunity to compete at a major championships as they ready themselves for the step up to senior level and so we’re looking for clean, consistent routines to see how they fare against some strong European opposition.”
Sportsbeat 2016