‘Mowgli’ has matured into one of Britain’s top performers

Jake Jarman will compete for Great Britain at the European Games in Minsk.

The 17 year-old Huntingdon Gym Club member is part of a 15-strong gymnastics squad who will head to the Belarus capital next month.

The European Games take place between June 21 and June 30 and involve 15 sports, some that carry qualification to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Jarman will be accompanied to the Games by his club coach Ben Howells who also coaches the international team.

Howells said: “Jake has been training with me now for some eight to nine years. He came to me when he was nine.

“That’s cosindered a late start in gymnastics, but Jake came to me bouncing and climbing around like Mowgli. It was obvious he was a raw, untamed talent with potential.

“His jump into the GB squad came later than most of his peers and he competed in his first international only three years ago when others had already done many.

“He has won the English and British championships both twice now at under 16 and under 18.

“Although he is technically a junior gymnast we took the leap of faith to compete as a senior from this March onwards.

“He competed in Doha in a World Cup back in March and it really opened his eyes. This European Game s is a senior comp and so Jake is the youngster of the entire men’s competition.”

Jarman will compete on all six pieces of apparatus, floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

His specialist pieces are floor and vault. He is the current under 18 floor and vault British champion and British Masters vault champion (against seniors).

Jarman made his international debut for England aged 14 at the UK School Games and picked up f ive medals. The following year he won medals on his GB debut in Italy.