Gunthorpe gymnast still in with a shout of the Tokyo Olympics after a strong performance in the European Championships

Gunthorpe-based gymnast Jake Jarman still has a chance of making the GB Olympic team for the Tokyo Games after a creditable performance in the European Championships in Basel, Switzerland over the weekend.
By Alan Swann
Published 25th Apr 2021, 19:30 BST
Updated 26th Apr 2021, 13:29 BST
Jake Jarman competes in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).Jake Jarman competes in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).
Jake Jarman competes in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).

The 19 year-old performed well enough in his first major competition represeenting GB to reach the ‘all around’ final and he actually led the event after the first piece of apparatus, his favoured vault, before finishing in a strong 10th place.

Jarman, who trains at Huntingdon Olympic Gym Club, scored a 14.733 in the vault. His floor routine was equally as impressive with the commentary team complimenting him on twisting ability that led to a score of 14.26.

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During his high bar routine Jarman lost his grip which cost him a point and which would have seen him finish even higher, but 10th place was a decent finish and a sign of greater future success.

Jake Jarman in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).Jake Jarman in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).
Jake Jarman in the high bar competition during the Men's all-around final of the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the St Jakobshalle, in Basel (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images).

Jarman had been targeting both floor & vault finals along with the ‘all around’. But in gymnastics the most minor of errors will cost a competitor dearly and unfortunately a couple meant that Jarman missed out on the apparatus finals.

His score on the vault in the ‘all around’ competition would have been good enough for a place in the indivudual final.

May will see Jarman’s last qualifying event for Tokyo. At 19 it’s a massive challenge, but he remains in contention.

Related topics:Jake Jarman