Georgia-Mae Fenton speaks about her gold medal win at the Commonwealth Games
Published: 00:00, 12 April 2018
Georgia-Mae Fenton is ready to take on the world's best gymnasts after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.
The 17-year-old, from Gravesend, produced a stunning routine on the uneven bars to take the title on Australia's Gold Coast.
Now Fenton wants to replicate that success on the European stage and beyond.
"This gives me a lot of confidence," she said. "It makes me believe I can compete against the world's best and reinforces that my training is all going to plan and my routine is where it should be.
"It really makes me want to keep improving even more in the future.
"It feels absolutely amazing. I still can’t really believe it. I’ve always watched the major competitions and dreamt that one day I’d be able to win a medal.
"To win the bars title is really special. I’ve watched gymnasts like Becky Downie and Beth Tweddle win, so to follow their lead is amazing."
Fenton already had a team silver medal to her name by the time she set foot in the arena for Sunday's bars final.
Having qualified top, she held her nerve superbly and delivered a world-class performance for a winning score of 14.600.
Fenton was beaming as soon as she landed a clean dismount.
"I wasn’t actually too nervous going into the final," she said. "My training has been going really well so I just trusted in my preparation.
"I was really happy with my routine and to have performed it under pressure.
"You feel how it is going as you’re swinging round and once I landed safely, I knew that I’d done a good routine so I was really happy."
Then came a nervous wait as the rest of the gymnasts performed but finally Fenton was confirmed as the champion.
She said: "It definitely gets nerve-wracking watching the scores. At that stage it's all out of my hands.
"When it was finally confirmed I just had the biggest smile. I was so happy.
"Being part of Team England has been such an honour. Seeing all the other athletes and living in the village has been the best experience ever. "
Fenton dedicated the win to her mum Lisa, who celebrated her birthday on the day of the final.
"I said winning the gold medal could be her birthday present," she said. "It’s extra special and I know she is so proud of me, which feels amazing.
"Next up is the European Championships (in August) so that’s my aim. I’ll be working hard in the gym to try to make the team for that and hopefully have another successful championship."
BLOB: Boxer Cheavon Clarke will bring another medal back to Gravesend after guaranteeing himself at least bronze in the 91kg category.
Clarke, who lost in the quarter-finals representing Jamaica four years ago, bettered that on the Gold Coast when he beat Scotland's Scott Forrest to reach the last four.
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Steve Tervet