Jake Jarman claims all-around gold, the third artistic gymnastics title for England at Birmingham 2022

In a topsy turvy competition that saw podium positions change numerous times, England's Jake Jarman claimed the title of best male artistic gymnast in the Commonwealth.

Competing at his first major multi-sport event after being reserve at Tokyo 2020, the 20-year-old belied his inexperience at this level to win his second gold of Birmingham 2022.

**"**I'd put the work in,"Jarman told Olympics.com afterwards, "and it was just a matter of keeping calm, staying composed and just enjoying everything. Enjoying the competition makes it so much better."

Compatriot James Hall replicated his silver medal in the all-around from the Gold Coast 2018, to add to the gold he won in the team competition with Jarman on Friday (29 July).

An injury midway through the competition looked like it might halt Hall in his tracks but the atmosphere at Arena Birmingham was so amazing he wanted to continue.

"It was just the crowd just willing me on. I've never heard anything like that. I remember Max Whitlock told me about a time in London 2012, where he stepped into the floor and he said the noise in the arena couldn't get any louder, it was that amazing. For me, that was the exact same. It was immense out there. I think the crowd knew I was hurting and they just wanted to lift me and it worked."

Cyprus' Marios Georgiou added to his history-making bronze won with his team two days ago – the first men's team artistic gymnastics medal for the nation at a Commonwealth Games. He also matches his Gold Coast 2018 all-around performance.

That makes Team England three from three so far in the artistic gymnastics at Arena Birmingham after the women won gold in the team event on Saturday – with their individual all-around final later on Sunday.

Read: How to watch women's all-around final

And so it begins

The very first routine of the competition from Canada's Felix Dolci revealed to the Birmingham crowd the level of gymnastics they could expect at the men's all-around event. The Canadian stuck all his landings on difficult tumbles, scoring 14.200, which took him to the top of the leaderboard after the first rotation.

England’s duo of Jake Jarman and James Hall also performed well on floor to follow Dolci into second to third in the early stages.

The fourth highest qualifier from Australia Jesse Moore, mis-queued a tumble, landed on his back, and was almost immediately out of contention for a medal.

Marios Georgiou, another medal contender, started with a steady floor routine, and was looking to add to the historic bronze won for Cyprus two days ago, when the nation claimed their first ever men’s team Commonwealth Games medal.  

Shout out to Igor Magalhaes from the Cayman Islands who took to the pommel horse just hours after finding out he was in the final after a late withdrawal.

Seconds out, round two

Throwing caution to the wind Hall put together a super-difficult routine on the pommel horse in the second rotation to score a superb 14.25. Jarman and Georgiou also scored well to keep them in the hunt for the medals.

Pavel Karnejenko performed a strength-filled still rings routine with a solid dismount to score 14.150 to keep himin contention for the Scots. 

In the third rotation, Karnejenko performed a stunning double twisting Yurchenko with an absolutely bolted down landing to score 14.300. The 22-year-old’s challenge was mounting.

Due to the draw, Hall followed his compatriot after each piece of apparatus, which gave Jarman the chance to lay down a marker. Opportunity taken, Jarman completed a neat rings routine, landing a tricky triple twisting dismount without a murmur. Over to you James.

Hall came eighth in the all-around at Tokyo 2020 and his experience showed, matching Jarman’s score of 13.300.

Jarman performed one of the most difficult vaults in the world incredibly well to score a massive 15.300. Hall would have to go some to match that but a relatively low landing with a deep step to the side left Hall limping away from the apparatus, albeit still scoring 13.800. Two pieces of apparatus left but would he be able to continue?

Georgiou, meanwhile, completed a beautiful vault complete with cracking landing to score 13.650, with his favourite apparatus, the parallel bars, up next. 

Karnejenko had a disappointing parallel bars routine, which dropped him down the order.

The penultimate apparatus, and Hall does compete, although landing on the injured ankle from the dismount off parallel bars has the crowd wincing. A big score of 14.500 with just the horizontal bar to go for Hall.

Jarman made it through cleanly and Georgiou, the defending champion on this apparatus, stepped up, scoring 14.25 to take him into third spot.

Heading into the final round, the spectacular horizontal bar and the podium positions stayed the same with safe routines from both Jarman and Georgiou cementing their positions.

Hall went for broke, sticking his landing, presenting to the judges, then hobbling from the floor. His competition was done and he replicated the silver all-around medal he won at Gold Coast 2018.

"I've really got Jake to thank, my coach, and actually the crowd because everyone kept me going. My coach said, 'Look, you can stop anytime. Look after yourself'. Honestly, there was no way I could stop and I'm glad I didn't and I looked after myself and the coaches looked after me. I can't ask for anything else. Silver I'll take that, Jake really deserved it."

"To see the grit on his face to do those last few pieces is so inspiring to me," said Jarman of his compatriot. "I've always looked up to (James), he's one of those gymnasts, that's always been there since I was a kid. I'd always look up to him and to just see that today's just is so inspiring."

When to watch the artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals

Monday 1 August

1pm-5pm (BST) Women's vault and uneven bars; men's floor, pommel horse and rings.

Tuesday 2 August

1pm-5pm (BST) Women's beam and floor; men's vault, parallel bars, horizontal bar

How to watch the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

UK: BBC TV, Radio, iPlayer

Canada: CBC Sports, CBC Sports app

Australia: Channel 7, 7Plus

New Zealand: Sky, TVNZ

India: Sony LIV

Further streaming details can be found on the Commonwealth Games website here.

You can follow all the action via our live update blog article on Olympics.com.