Joe Fraser ended his Tbilisi 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival on a high after the gymnast was named as Team GB’s Flagbearer for this evening’s Closing Ceremony just hours after collecting his third gold medal of the week.
The 16-year-old’s parallel bars success was one of four medals won on day six as Giarnni Regini-Moran took silver on vault and high bar, while Maisie Methuen also scooped silver after an impressive display on the balance beam.
That took Team GB’s Tbilisi 2015 medal tally to 20 (four gold, eight silver and eight bronze).
Fraser, who has five medals to his name including all-around and team gold, silver on the pommel horse and bronze on the rings, said being nominated as Flagbearer by Chef de Mission Heather Fell was the perfect end to the week.
“I really didn’t expect to be nominated as Flagbearer. After such an amazing week this really puts the icing on the cake and it’s a great honour to carry the Union Flag for Team GB,” said Fraser
“It’s been a really big week and competition for me. This and the Junior Europeans are the biggest I’ve ever been involved in and for the team to become champions again is a great achievement. It’s a good feeling.
“It has also been really good getting used to the environment of an arena and training hall. It’s just not something I’m used to every day.
“I’ve loved being involved in a multi-sport event and mingling with other athletes from different sports and countries. Everyone has been so friendly and it’s been so easy to get along with people who put the same hard work into their sport as you do.”
Methuen was delighted to have saved her best performance until last as the 15-year-old from Pontypool savoured the moment as the last British athlete to step onto the podium at Tbilisi 2015.
“It feels amazing to have won silver. I didn’t expect to get second today so it feels amazing to have won a medal,” said Methuen.
“It’s been a really hard week here with a lot of training but it’s all paid off so I’m really happy. The whole week has been a really good experience for me as I’ve never been in an Athlete’s Village before and it’s the biggest event I’ve ever competed at.”
Elsewhere, the judo concluded with the heavyweights in action but it wasn’t to be for Will Jones and Opening Ceremony Flagbearer Wesley Greenidge as they both lost their respective -90kg and +91kg first round fights.
Team GB at Tbilisi 2015
20 medals; four gold, eight silver, eight bronze
Gold
Gymnastics: Boys’ Team - Joe Fraser, Giarnni Regini-Moran, Hamish Carter
Gymnastics: Boys’ All-around – Joe Fraser
Gymnastics: Boys’ Floor – Giarnni Regini-Moran
Gymnastics: Boys’ Parallel Bars – Joe Fraser
Silver
Gymnastics: Boys’ Floor – Hamish Carter
Gymnastics: Boys’ Pommel Horse – Joe Fraser
Gymnastics: Boys’ Vault – Giarnni Regini-Moran
Gymnastics: Girls’ Balance Beam – Maisie Methuen
Gymnastics: Boys’ High Bar – Giarnni Regini-Moran
Swimming: Girls’ 200m Butterfly – Emily Large
Swimming: Girls’ 400m IM – Rebecca Sutton
Swimming: Girls’ 4x100m Medley Relay – Ellinor Southward, Katie Robertson, Caitlin Hubbard, Rebecca Sutton
Bronze
Cycling: Girls’ Time Trial – Lauren Dolan
Cycling: Boys’ Road Race – Fred Wright
Gymnastics: Boys’ Rings – Joe Fraser
Swimming: Girls’ 100m Backstroke – Ellinor Southward
Swimming: Girls’ 200m Backstroke – Sophie Hobbah
Swimming: Girls’ 200m IM – Sophie Hobbah
Swimming: Girls’ 400m Freestyle – Annalea Davison
Swimming: Girls’ 100m Breaststroke – Katie Robertson