British Olympian and five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Claudia Fragapane retires from artistic gymnastics
The two-time World Championship medallist and Commonwealth Games superstar steps away from the sport at age 26
Artistic Gymnastics
British Olympian and five-time Commonwealth Games champion Claudia Fragapane announced her retirement from artistic gymnastics on Friday (9 February 2024).
The 26-year-old not only made history as a British gymnast but pushed the boundaries of gymnastics as the popularity of the sport began to explode.
“The time has come to hang up my leotard and retire from gymnastics,” she wrote on her Instagram as she made the announcement in a post accompanied by a highlight reel and Q&A video.
“20 years of wearing leotards, flipping around, hair slicked back & it’s all come to an end!”
Fragapane had dreams of competing in the Olympic Games since the age of six and smiled when reflecting on those goals in her Instagram video. “I don’t think I knew how hard that would be.”
But that dream came true at the Rio 2016 Games when Great Britain took fifth place in the team final.
Following her 2014 Commonwealth Games debut – the second-largest multi-sports event in the world behind the Olympic Games – she won five gold medals.
In her debut, now a decade ago, she stunned the world when she won four of those five golds, including the coveted All-Around title.
“The support at the Commonwealth Games was out of this world. I remember scoring 15.000 on floor and the crowd going wild. Being part of the senior squad at the time was just so exciting. That’s where I really feel like I made my mark on gymnastics,” she said.
She, along with her English teammates, took the team title once again in 2022. It was a full circle moment as Fragapane knew it would be her last Games.
“I’m going to continue coaching and running choreography workshops. I want to empower gymnasts to handle their nerves and perform with confidence, that’s going to be my next focus,” she said.
“Gymnastics has given me more than I could put into words. I’ve made lifelong friends, travelled the world, but I’ve also learnt so much about myself and the person I want to be. I’m excited to continue working in the sport that has made me who I am.”