Great Britain's men's and women's tumbling teams both took home gold medals on a brilliant day of competition at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The five-team women's final saw GB pit their wits against France, Australia, Belgium and the United States, with Shanice Davidson, Megan Kealy, Comfort Yeates and reserve gymnast Jessica Brain taking to the track.
As well as receiving a combined difficulty and execution score for their passes, athletes finishing at the top of each five-gymnast rotation would receive a maximum five points for the team total, with four being awarded for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth place.
Davidson, Kealy and Yeates scooped 13 of the 15 points on offer to storm to the gold medal, as GB won the women's team tumbling title for just the third time after triumphs in 2003 and 2019.
Returning from a severe Achilles injury, Davidson placed second in her rotation for four points before Yeates topped her section for the maximum five, nailing a full-twisting double back somersault dismount.
🥇 WORLD CHAMPIONS 🥇
— British Gymnastics (@BritGymnastics) November 17, 2022
Shanice Davidson, Megan Kealy, Comfort Yeates & Jessica Brain 🇬🇧#TRAWorlds2022
📸 @SimoneFerraroPh pic.twitter.com/ru4ENimzAv
Kealy - the reigning individual world champion - ended the third and final rotation with another four points for GB to bring home the gold medal, as the USA took silver with 11 points and France won bronze with 10.
Australia and Belgium placed fourth and fifth with six and five points respectively, but there was a moment of concern when American gymnast Tia Taylor took off for her dismount on the landing mat and landed right on the back of her neck. The stretcher was brought out but Taylor was able to walk off after receiving treatment.
Having seen the women secure gold a couple of hours prior, the men's team of Kristof Willerton, Jaydon Paddock, Ramarni Levena and reserve Lewis Westwood also became world champions with a total of 12 points against Denmark, the USA, Australia and Portugal in their final.
Willerton - the 2013 individual tumbling world champion - led the way for GB with five points after the first rotation, and Paddock completed a hugely difficult full-twisting triple tucked back somersault to keep his nation in first place before the final round.
Seventeen-year-old Levena lost a bit of momentum in his run and could only place fourth for two points in his round, but that was enough to keep GB at the top of the pile and secure their second gold medal of the day.
It's WORLD GOLD for the men's tumbling team 🏆
— British Gymnastics (@BritGymnastics) November 17, 2022
World champions 🥇🥇🥇🥇
Jaydon Paddock, Kristof Willerton, Ramarni Levena & Lewis Westwood, that was incredible 🇬🇧#TRAWorlds2022 pic.twitter.com/2DkWWeehnP
Denmark and USA were tied on 11 points apiece, and it was the Scandinavians who took silver due to their higher overall score, as Australia claimed eight points for fourth and Portugal finished fifth with three points.
GB were also in action in the men's and women's double-mini trampoline team finals, with the women's team of Kirsty Way, Kim Beattie, Beth Williamson and Ruth Shevelan picking up a bronze medal after finishing with nine points.
Reigning European champion Way was last up for GB, but she placed fifth in her rotation after taking a heavy deduction for touching the apparatus with her hand, having landed short on her double-twisting double straight back somersault dismount.
Australia won a surprise gold in the women's double-mini with an impressive 13 points, with the USA taking 10 for silver, while Portugal also posted nine points but lost out to GB on the overall scores - Canada placed fifth with five points.
However, the men's double-mini team of Lewis Gosling, Marshall Frost, Otis McAuliffe & Omo Aikeremiokha could not add to the medal tally, placing fifth in their final, with McAuliffe and Frost both scoring zero for their passes.
Spain accumulated 12 points for the gold medal, while Portugal and the USA both finished on 10 points, and it was the former who took silver as the Americans settled for bronze. Canada, meanwhile, ended up in fourth with nine points.
Ben Knapton
