04/10/14: Great Britain men’s gymnastics team have comfortably qualified for the World Championships team final placing 4th after the two day qualification in Nanning, China.

The team of Olympians , Dan Keatings, Dan Purvis, , and World Championship debutants Nile Wilson and Courtney Tulloch scored a total of 357.193 points to trail Japan, China and the USA.

With the British gymnast competing on the first day there was an anxious wait to determine which individual finals they would make. In the end Dan Purvis and Nile Wilson easily qualified though to the top 24 all-around final for the gymnasts competing on all apparatus, Dan scored 88.706 to place 10th and 18-year-old Nile scored 88.323 to place 13th.

In the chase for top 8 position on individual apparatus , Commonwealth Champion Dan Keatings makes it into the pommel final having placed 8th in qualification knowing he has lots more to offer in the final as the double European Champion aims to be amongst the medal next weekend. World Championship debutants Courtney Tulloch (5th) and Nile Wilson (6th) also progress to individual finals, both boys showing exceptional composure to qualify through on rings and high bar respectively.

03/10/14: Great Britain’s men’s gymnastics team have got the 2014 World Championships off to a great start with a confident qualification performance in Nanning, China.

The team of Olympians Max Whitlock, Dan Keatings, Dan Purvis, Kristian Thomas and World Championship debutants Nile Wilson and Courtney Tulloch, scored a total of 357.193 points to place in second spot behind China after day one of the two day qualification.

With the top eight countries making it into Tuesday’s finals the boys will be confident of progressing and know that they can make more improvements to further better today’s score and chase an historic first ever team medal in the final.

The top performer for the team was who competed on all six apparatus giving him and the team an all-around total of 88.706 points. 18-year- old Nile Wilson also shone as an all-around gymnast with a fine display for 88.323, Max Whitlock just behind with 88.198 and Dan Keatings also putting in a classy all- around display. With only two individual gymnasts per country making it in to the top 24 individual all-around final, Dan and Nile look set to be representing GBR in that final on Thursday.

Dan Purvis said after “It’s not always the case that you come off the floor at the end of a competition happy but I can definitely say that today. It was all about competing the best routines for the team and I felt I did that, making the all- around is a massive bonus. As a team we are really well prepared a nd that showed as everyone made a big contribution, having said that we know we can do even better and with a clean start in the team finals we’ll all be going out there to chase a medal for GB.”

Nile added “That was unbelievable! I’ve dreamed about competing alongside these lads who are absolute legends and to do it today and score my personal best all- around score is incredible. The experience of the in the summer definitely helped me in terms of nerves but I was still really excited to compete. There were a couple of shaky moments and in my parallel bars routine it felt like I battled but I pulled through - can’t wait for the team final!”

All of the British gymnasts produced moments of magic and there will be several in with opportunities of making individual apparatus once the full results are resolved following the second day of qualifying.

Courtney Tulloch in his senior debut was outstanding on rings; his powerful physique bringing a new dimension to the British team as he scored an impressive 15.700 points. On vault reigning World bronze medallist Kristian Thomas produced two excellent high difficulty passes to score an average of 15.033 and he was equally impressive on high bar (14.800 currently 6th)

Nile Wilson's top performance also came on the high bar, his score of 14.900 placing him in 4th place overnight and in with a good chance of making the top 8 and the final. Dan Purvis is similarly placed on parallel bar where thanks to the “two per country” rule he sits in 4th while on floor he is currently 5th with 15.433.

There will be a nervier wait for Dan Keatings and Max Whitlock, both pommel horse specialists having difficulties and currently sitting in 5th and 6th places with strong pommel