The British announced their World teams this morning, and they are mostly who you'd expect, with a few small surprises.
The women's team consists of superstar Beth Tweddle and Olympic veterans Imogen Cairns, Becky Downie and Hannah Whelan, while still-relative-newcomers Jenni Pinches, Laura Edwards and Danusia Francis complete the squad. Of these seven, Edwards, the least known internationally, is the big surprise.
Tweddle of course is a well known quantity, and has a good shot at recapturing her World title on floor if she throws her dynamite new tumbling pass. Ditto bars, as a matter of fact. Downie and Whelan, if healthy, are likely to be the all-arounders, while Cairns will provide strategic help on vault, likely this team's weak event.
The men's team is especially strong, and contains several rising international stars. Not the least of them is new national champion Daniel Purvis, who won the battle of Britain over 2009 World silver medalist Daniel Keatings last weekend. Also to watch are Ukrainian transplant Ruslan Panteleymonov (a feel good gymnastics story if there ever was one), Olympic pommel bronze medalist Louis Smith, Kristian Thomas and youngsters Sam Oldham and Max Whitlock.
To put it simply, this is the best team the British men have put together in years and years, if not ever. Every single gymnast is accomplished on the World Cup scene, or has a European/World/Olympic medal, or is a bright young all-arounder full of competitive spirit.
Watch out for Oldham, who is so precocious he just might be an Olympic star in London. Whitlock, who won gold on floor and pommel horse at the 2010 Junior Europeans, and Oldham are the next generation of what is beginning to look like a bottomless pool of talent in British men's gymnastics.
The British goal for both teams is not to have to compete in London at January's test event, which is the final shot teams will have to qualify for the London Olympics. Even so, can you imagine the ovation the British would receive at the 02 in January?
Related: British Gymnastics Official Website
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