British Gymnastics Championships 2024: Ondine Achampong and Joe Fraser crowned all-around champions
With the next Olympic Games just over four months away the 2024 British Gymnastics Championships took on additional meaning with the event in Liverpool contributing toward potential selection for Paris 2024.
But first there were the all-around title deciders in the women's and men's events on Saturday (16 March), plus qualification for the apparatus finals taking place on Sunday (17 March).
Ondine Achampong, part of the women's team who secured World team silver in 2022, performed superbly on all four pieces of apparatus for a total score of 55.950 to win the title ahead of Ruby Evans (53.200) and Abigail Martin (52.450).
Defending champion Alice Kinsella pulled out of the competition ahead of the first apparatus as a precaution.
In the men's competition, Joe Fraser topped the standings with 84.900, with Jake Jarman second (84.350), and Courtney Tulloch third (80.150).
Max Whitlock secured the top score of the day with a whopping 15.500 on pommel horse to secure top billing on the apparatus in which he is a two-time Olympic champion.
The top eight on each apparatus go through on each piece to the final.
- As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
- Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
Joe Fraser back with a bang
The first few minutes of the all-around competition, which began with the men taking to the arena first to compete two of their six apparatus before the women joined the fray to compete their four, set the tone for what was to follow: a rollercoaster of emotion in a high-stakes competition in the most important of years.
Fraser, the 2019 parallel bars World champion, took to the floor in his return to the sport after more than a year out with injury and performed super-high tumbles, including a triple double, to score 13.800.
Minutes later, Whitlock, the two-time pommel horse Olympic champion took to his specialist apparatus, wowing the crowd with a beautifully executed routine with his trademark difficulty to score a whopping 15.500. No wonder the three-time Olympian puffed out his cheeks with relief before breaking into a big smile while acknowledging the partisan crowds' applause.
Top scorer on the apparatus, the six-time Olympic medallist and heavy favourite for the final, also performed cleanly on parallel bars and high bar.
Back to the all-around and Jarman, despite not being fully fit after a niggling shoulder injury, was super pleased with his performance that included a sensational routine on floor in which he top qualified with a score of 14.600, almost a whole mark ahead of nearest challenger, Fraser (13.800).
Despite falling on vault, the world champion on the apparatus still qualified in first for the final, such is his difficulty on the apparatus.
"I really didn't expect to score in the all-around, what I did, especially considering that I had a fall on vault – again – and I'm still not doing a full routine on rings and high bar," said Jarman.
Fraser, meanwhile, was stoked to be back in front of a crowd again.
"It's been quite a journey. Last year I spent the whole year injured, battling trying to get back fit," Fraser told Olympics.com. "I knew it was Olympic year and didn't have much time so to be able to step out there today still not quite 100% and be able to produce a result like I have I'm just really proud of myself."
Tulloch, meanwhile, often known for his still-rings strength prowess showed his all-around chops by securing the bronze, describing the result as "special".
Ondine Achampong and her Gadirova superfans
Achampong, for her part, also enjoyed her day immensely competing one of her best ever competition performances, with two superstar superfans in her corner all the way.
"It was really good actually. I got to go round with some of my best friends and I loved it," said Achampong, who was part of the women's team alongside the Gadirova twins that won World team silver in 2022, at the same arena, to secure Team GB's five-quota berth for Paris. "And seeing Jen and Jess especially around the arena and hearing them too in my routines was just amazing."
The siblings, currently rehabbing from injury, were there to support not only their club mate and friend but also their British team-mates, and the junior gymnasts, too, doing Instagram Live feeds for British Gymnastics sharing their love of the sport despite not being there to compete.
Wales's Evans secured silver and loved showcasing her new floor routine, while Martin continued her successful start to the year, which included a first foray into a World Cup event in which she secured finals in vault and floor, by bagging bronze.
Becky Downie made the bars final, top scoring with 14.350, and will hope that Sunday sees a similar result in what she told Olympics.com is potentially her last British Championships.
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