Nottingham’s Becky Downie could not have been prouder of her gymnastics teammates after a fifth place finish in the team event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.Becky, older sister to 16-year-old Ellie, helped the team end on 174.362 after their four apparatus in the Arena Olimpica de Rio – a repeat of their position four years ago at London 2012.
The quintet of the Downie sisters, Ruby Harrold, Amy Tinkler and Claudia Fragapane sat third after a strong uneven bars but dropped to fifth following a slip by Ellie on beam. They were unable to make the ground up as the USA stormed to gold with Russia and China taking silver and bronze.
The team took a historic first ever Wold Championship team medal in Glasgow last year but Becky believes the standard of the other nations continues to push the boundaries of the sport.
“I couldn’t have done too much more. I was fighting towards the end of that today but overall I’m really happy. It’s the team final so there is quite a lot of pressure going up there,” said Downie.
“I think Glasgow did set the expectation and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy here. We’ve all upgraded our routines since Glasgow but the level of gymnastics has gone up again and we couldn’t have done anymore.
“It wasn’t quite what we did at the Worlds but I’m still really proud of everybody. The team has done an amazing job and I’m just really proud of the girls.”
Sister Ellie admitted to feeling the pressure after shouldering the responsibility of all four apparatus but the four-time European medallist was upbeat following her debut Olympic final.
“I knew that I was up on all four pieces so I did feel the pressure a little bit today,” said Downie.
“But it was definitely an amazing experience. I had a slight mistake on the beam but, looking back at the total, even if we add that score we still wouldn’t be in the medals.
“It’s always disappointing when you make a mistake but I knew I had to get up there and fight for every tenth and I think I managed to do that and my score was fairly decent even after the fall.”
The brilliant City of Caves has teamed up with Nottingham-based author Rob Hann to create The GrumbleGroar Explorers Tour as an exciting new addition of what you can get up to underneath Broadmarsh this summer!
It’s the first time the City of Caves has worked with an author, like Rob, to deliver a tour but when they read Rob’s book, The GrumbleGroar, which is about a dinosaur-like creature which lives in the many caves beneath Nottingham, it was a perfect fit!
The tour is journey through the historic sandstone caves beneath Nottingham led by an intrepid explorer, which extensive GrumbleGroar experience – so no need to be scared, you’ll be in safe hands as you go in search of the mysterious creature!
Author Rob Hann said: ‘’I’m thrilled that my book has been chosen as the basis for one of the summer tours at the City of Caves this year. It’s a unique family-friendly tale and it will make for a fun tour that includes my GrumbleGroar character, but also incorporates the history that makes the caves so special. I don’t think the City of Caves has ever done this sort of thing before and it’s both a great honour and a fantastic opportunity to adapt my book and bring it to life in this way.’’
The GrumbleGroar Explorers Tour will run at the City of Caves every morning between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm from 23 July – 4 September 2016. For more info and to book, click here.
The Games of the XXXI Olympiad are officially open following tonight’s Opening Ceremony at the famous Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Acting President of Brazil Michel Temer declared the Games officially open with around 11,000 athletes set to compete for the 306 gold medals across 28 sports.
Defending Olympic Champion Andy Murray led the Team GB delegation into the samba-fuelled ceremony before marathon runner Vanderlei de Lima lit the Olympic Flame, kicking off the 16 days of sporting competition in Brazil. Team GB’s 366-strong team, set to compete across 23 sports, is the biggest travelling delegation since Barcelona 1992 and sees 151 athletes and 65 medallists return from four years ago at London 2012.
Andy Murray said: “It was amazing to get to carry the flag and but also be around the rest of the British team and chat to the guys. It’s been a really nice atmosphere and I’m obviously really proud to get the opportunity… My first thought was ‘don’t’ drop it’ and I was gripping onto the flag really tight. Then I was just trying to take it all in. The size of the stadium was incredible.”
The first Team GB athletes in action at Rio 2016 were actually in competition earlier in the day as archers Patrick Huston and Naomi Folkard contested the ranking round. Jen McIntosh will become the first Team GB athlete to compete for a medal at Rio 2016 in the women’s 10m Air Rifle as Day 1 of Rio 2016 gets underway. The day also sees the historic return of rugby to the Olympic programme and the sevens format is set to make its debut at Rio 2016. Team GB’s women will be in action, taking on Japan and hosts Brazil in the first of two days of pool matches before Monday’s finals.
All eyes will turn to the Copacabana later in the day as the men’s road race concludes with Chris Froome looking to add to his third Tour de France victory last month with gold in the men’s road race. The London 2012 time trial bronze medallist lines up alongside Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Adam Yates and Steve Cummings with the race concluding at around 8pm BST. The day also sees Team GB’s women’s hockey side take on Australia in their opening pool match and World Champion James Guy looking for a first swimming medal in the 400m freestyle.
Opening rounds are scheduled in the tennis, table tennis and boxing, Ashley McKenzie is the first judoka in action at the Games while our rowers take to the water in the first session of heats. Men’s qualification in the artistic gymnastics and the first day dressage featuring Gemma Tattersall and William Fox-Pitt round off an action-packed opening day for Team GB at Rio 2016.
