WORLD gymnastics gold medallist Beth Tweddle has stated her desire to compete for Great Britain at the London Olympics in 2012.
The 24-year-old won her second world title at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday, claiming gold on the floor having won on the asymmetric bars in 2006, and hopes to return to the same venue in three years’ time.
She said: “I’ll be 27. I’m taking each competition as it comes; I’d love to represent Team GB at the home Olympics – the crowd this weekend were fantastic and because it’s the Olympics, it will be 10 times better.
“I’d love to be in there in 2012, but to be honest the decision will probably be made in 2012. If I’m still enjoying it and I’m still up there competing well then hopefully I’ll be there.
“Gymnastics is changing now, it used to be about 15- and 16-year-olds but the age barrier is moving up now. (Oksana) Chusovitina, who represented Germany at the Olympics last year, was 32 and won an Olympic silver, so it is possible.
“I’ve always wanted to be remembered as someone who achieved something, not someone who achieved and then failed, so if my results start to decrease I’ll obviously make the decision with my coach and my family that maybe it’s time to bow out.
“I’ve retired from two pieces of apparatus, I just do the bars and the floor now, and that has helped a lot over the past year.
“So hopefully in the next two years, if I just concentrate on those two, my body will hold out.”
Tweddle’s world title came despite the disappointment of missing out on the final in her preferred bars discipline after falling while performing her signature move. And she admitted this second title “means more” than her success three years ago.
“It probably means more winning that world title than it did winning the bar world title,” she added.
