Soaring up to 10 metres into the air like a Boeing 747, whirling salmon-like above the trampoline bed, the sport’s top athletes captivated and at times unnerved a modest but raucous crowd in Birmingham as the city hosted world championships finals day.
The French pair Laura Paris and Cléa Brousse in the women’s synchronised trampoline final.
Gabriel Albuquerque of Portugal in the men’s individual trampoline final.
The judges watch the run of Mads Hansen of Denmark in the men’s team tumbling final.
Chief among them was Team GB’s double Olympic medal winner Bryony Page (pictured below), who took her second world crown – but her first in front of home fans – with a routine steeped in difficulty at the 37th FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships.
Stepping up to chants of “come on Bry!”, Page started with three gravity defying triple somersaults and finished with a triple twisting double back, executed with poise. Energised by the crowd, there was a precision and clarity in Page’s jumps, so much more evident in-person than on a screen. She had been world champion but not in front of a crowd.
Bryony Page of Great Britain on her way to winning gold in the women’s individual trampoline final.
Bryony Page of Great Britain celebrates winning gold in the women’s individual trampoline final.
Her last world championship had been won in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic during the 2021 edition held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Her score of 56.800 was enough to grant her gold in the women’s individual trampoline competition, with China’s Zhu Xueying taking silver and the USA gymnast Jessica Stevens claiming bronze.
At 32, Page was aware how special it was to win in Birmingham – only the fifth time the championships has been held in the UK – but the chance of qualifying two spots for Paris 2024 with the worlds doubling as the primary Olympic qualification event made her even more focused. “It was so special to do it in front of a home crowd because I may not get that opportunity again, so to do that and be part of it was just amazing,” she said.
“It makes it so much nicer as the chances of getting two are so much higher and it allows us to really work together even more so. Today has definitely given us that confidence boost going into an Olympic year.”
The crowd watch the French pair of Pierre Gouzou and Morgan Demiro-o-Domiro in the men’s synchronised trampoline final.
The GB team are introduced to the crowd before competing and winning gold in the women’s team tumbling competition.
Crowd participation was a significant element and added a fun edge to proceedings. Sandwiched between the men’s synchronised final and the individual final was the “bongo cam”, an all too rare opportunity to display a serious lack of rhythm and the enthusiasm to make a fool of yourself.
One spectator had to put his cup of soup down to partake in the festivities, Team USA were in good spirits and got involved; one couple really got into it, unleashing their inner Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne, not your average sight on the Broad Street but one of which the Birmingham natives would have been proud.
Oscar Smith and Jonas Nordfors of Sweden in qualifying for the men’s synchronised trampoline competition.
Camilla Gomes of Brazil sporting a trampoline tattoo.
Hannah Metheral of Canada in the women’s double mini trampoline team final.
There were some thrills and spills. The Australian gymnast Abbie Watts limped off after catching her leg between the mat and its springs during the women’s synchronised event. Brazil’s Camilla Gomes struck both head and legs outside the trampoline bed during her attempt in the individual women’s event.
Britain’s Zak Perzamanos wowed judges with five triple somersaults as part of a difficult routine, in a strong men’s individual final, narrowly missing out on a podium finish in fifth. If Perzamanos does fill Team GB’s men’s space in next year’s Olympics, he will have to face China’s Yan Langyu who became a double world champion in the individual category.
Team GB ended the championships with three golds for tumbling, double mini trampoline and the individual trampoline event all won by the women. Team GB haveearned a men and women’s berth for Paris next year.
The men walk out for qualifying for the men’s synchronised trampoline competition; Jaydon Paddock of Great Britain in the men’s team tumbling final.
Tia Taylor of the United States celebrates after competing in the women’s team tumbling competition.
Qiu Zheng and Lin Qianqi of China in the women’s synchronised trampoline final.
Bethany Williamson of Great Britain crying with joy after seeing her final vault gain enough points to give her team the gold medal in the women’s double mini trampoline team final.
