World Championship final for GBR girls

Great Britain’s women’s team have comfortably qualified for the World Championship team final in Nanning, China with an excellent performance in qualification.

Needing to be in the top eight nations, the GBR team of , Becky Downie, and World debutantes , Gabby Jupp and scored a total of 224.596 points to place 4th the after the two day qualification competition.

Ruby Harrold led the way for the team competing on all four apparatus and scoring 56.766 points which also sees her into Friday’s all-around final qualifying in 8th along with teammate Claudia Fragapane who scored 55.999 for 12th safely in to the top 24 finals.

Claudia - the star of the this summer - also progressed through to and the finals taking place at the weekend, her scores of 14.716 and 14.400 progressing her through.

European and Commonwealth Games bars champion Becky Downie again showed her exceptional skills on the bars to score 15.166 and progress through to the final where she will aim to be amongst the medals. Ruby Harrold will join Becky in the final after her unique and exciting bars routine impressed the judges scoring her 14.733.

Hannah Whelan, Kelly Simm and Gabby Jupp who made a welcome return to the GBR team after injury, provided the consistency and control the team needed with solid performances to ensure the team progressed to the final.

Claudia was delighted with her World Championship debut saying: “It definitely felt different today, lots more pressure and attention. The energy you get from the crowd and also your teammates is very special. There was a real focus on us competing together as a team and getting through to the final and we’ve done that job. I’m really happy to have made the floor and vault finals but the first thought is the team - I can think about individuals later in the week. It was amazing to perform with the girls today and we can’t wait for the final.”

Becky Downie echoed Claudia saying: “We did our job today. We were very well prepared and had great support to get us here. Me and Hannah have more

experience so took on the role of leading the team which I really enjoyed, all the girls were great today and we can offer even more in the final. On bars I was a little nervous but the experience of winning the Europeans and Commonwealths this year has definitely helped me in big events as I know I can do it. There are a couple of things I can tweak for the final so who knows what might happen”