BETH Tweddle is planning a last hurrah at London 2012 after winning the sixth European gold medal of her glittering career, writes Paul Wheelock.
The 26-year-old from Bunbury overcame injury to retain her uneven bars title in Berlin at the weekend before confirming she will retire after one last shot at Olympic Games glory.
Three-time world champion Tweddle told The Chronicle: “My coach was really happy, I was really happy and the Great Britain coaches were really happy as it was good preparation for 2012. 2012 will be my last one. The long-term goal is London.”
Tweddle was hampered by niggling calf and Achilles injuries at the European Championships. But that did not stop the former Chester Queen’s School pupil from winning the bars crown for the third year running with a new routine she hopes will bring her gold in London next year.
The City of Liverpool club member, who was fourth on the bars at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, said: “I was really pleased as the judges reacted well to my new routine. Normally I would have tried it out first at a lower-level competition, but as the routine was only a month old it was not tried until the championships.
“It was quite nerve-racking so to win is a great boost.”
MBE Tweddle, who also finished fourth on the floor, will compete on home soil later this year when the British Championships come to Liverpool’s Echo Arena in July.
