EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL 2017

Jamie Lewis is the newly crowned European Youth Olympic men’s all-around champion after triumphing in style on day four of Gyor 2017.

The 16-year-old from Woking dominated the final, going clean on all six pieces and eventually finished with a score of 82.200, with Russia’s Iurii Busse 80.100) and Nicolau Rossello of Spain (78.550) back in second and third respectively.

Jamie, who won team silver on Tuesday, began on floor before tackling his two favoured apparatus the pommel and then rings. Building a commanding lead, which the young British gymnast refused to give up, he ended with a nerveless high bar to take the title. That gold is the third straight all-around champion produced by Team GB at a European Youth Olympic Festival after Brinn Bevan won four years ago in Utrecht and Joe Fraser climbed onto the top step of the podium at Tbilisi 2015.

“This feels absolutely amazing” said Jamie" I’ve put so much hard work into my preparation and I’m so glad it’s paid off. I’ve gone clean in all six pieces and I couldn’t have asked for a better performance across the day. As soon as I did my rings I knew I was quite far ahead and then on pommel I was quite nervous but they’re my two best pieces and I knew I had to do well. This is the best medal I’ve won so far in my career. I won team gold at the Europeans but this all-around definitely tops everything. Words can’t describe how much I’m enjoying being out here and competing. The arena is special and it’s great to be meeting so many new people – it’s such an amazing experience.”

Jamie was joined in the final by teammate Jake Jarman (78.200) who finished fifth in his first all-around final.

Jamie Lewis, Jake Jarman and Pavel Karnejenko have won the team silver on the opening day of gymnastics action at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Gyor, Hungary.

All three gymnasts had strong showings across the six pieces of apparatus, leading after two sessions, with the Russian team competing in the final session. In the end the Russian triumvirate of Iurii Busse, Sergei Naidin, Aleksandr Kartsev were victorious (161.450) with Team GB taking silver (159.000).

Speaking moments after being presented with their silver medals, team captain Jamie Lewis was proud yet determined about what still lay ahead. “It feels good to win silver. All the preparation and hard work has paid off which is amazing. We were coming to gold but I’m really proud as to help the three of us win a medal today. I’ve now got a number of finals to come later in the week and will be trying my best to win more medals for myself and the team – really looking forward to it.”
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Jamie Lewis and Jake Jarman secured progress to the all-around finals on Thursday with Jamie qualifying in top spot scoring 80.450 points. Jamie also qualified in first for the pommel and rings final and in 8th for the parallel bars final.

Jamie Lewis overcame disappointment on the pommel to secure his second gold medal of the European Youth Olympics with victory on the rings adding to a silver medal already won in the team event.
In front of a full gym, the individual apparatus finals took place and Team GB once again had medal hopes in the form of Lewis but it didn’t start to plan as an error disrupted the Woking gymnast’s routine. Despite the mistake Jamie narrowly missed out on bronze, scoring 12.100 to finish fourth, just behind Belgium’s Claeys Ward (12.466) who came in third.

However the disappointment of missing out did not show in his next final on the rings, an event that came directly after the pommel. Following two impressive routines from Russians Iurii Busse (13.466) and Sergei Naidin (13.200) he was under pressure to perform and perform he most certainly did, nailing his routine and securing gold with a score of 13.733.
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“I’m chuffed with how it went, especially after the pommel,” said Jame. “The pommel and the rings are two of my strongest pieces. I let the nerves get the best of me on pommel, I don’t know why, I guess these things happen but I was happy to get back and finish my routine and finish with a nice second half. I knew when it came to the rings I just had to concentrate on that and do my best. I really wanted to get gold on the rings.”