This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/18/downie-gold-bars-european-artistic-gymnastics-championships

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Downie takes gold on bars in European Artistic Gymnastics Championships Downie takes gold on bars in European Artistic Gymnastics Championships
(about 4 hours later)
Great Britain's Rebecca Downie won a gold medal on the uneven bars at the European Artistic Championships in Sofia on Sunday. Great Britain's Rebecca Downie won a gold medal on the uneven bars at the European Artistic Championships in Sofia on Sunday. Downie scored 15.500 to pip the Olympic champion Aliya Mustafina (15.266) to top spot and end her eight-year hunt for an individual medal.
Downie scored 15.500 to pip the Olympic champion Aliya Mustafina (15.266) to top spot and end her eight-year hunt for an individual medal. The 22-year-old's last solo victory came at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and she joins London 2012 bronze medallist Beth Tweddle as the only British woman to win an individual European title.
"It still hasn't sunk in yet, it's the most amazing thing ever," the 22-year-old Downie told BBC Sport. "For me to take the bars, it's just been an incredible day.""It still hasn't sunk in yet, it's the most amazing thing ever," the 22-year-old Downie told BBC Sport. "For me to take the bars, it's just been an incredible day."
She added: "I'd say one of my biggest gymnastic idols is Aliya Mustafina; watching her in training and the way she competes, I love to watch her. It's pretty crazy to say I've just beaten her to a European bar title. She added: "There was a doubt in the back of my mind going for the big routine but I knew if I pulled it off I could win the gold medal.
"She said congratulations. We're fairly good friends and she always congratulates whether she wins or loses." "To beat the Olympic champion is unbelievable but I knew it was possible. I've worked so, so hard on this. You can see the emotion when I stuck my dismount – I knew it was going to be a medal."
Britain's Rebecca Tunney was edged out of a medal position by Russia's Daria Spiridonova, who took bronze, while Claudia Fragapane finished sixth in the vault. Britain's Rebecca Tunney, who was the youngest member of the Team GB squad at London 2012, was edged out of a medal position by Russia's Daria Spiridonova. Tunney had to settle for fourth after scoring just 0.033 points less than Spiridonova.
Another Briton to miss out on the podium was 16-year-old Claudia Fragapane, who finished sixth on the vault and eighth on the floor.
Fragapane said: "I didn't get what I wanted but it was an amazing experience. I'm just so proud of what I've done."
The impressive individual performances came a day after Britain's women matched their best ever team result at the championships by winning a silver medal.
In the junior section, Britain's girls continued their success by adding four more medals to the team silver they won on Wednesday, taking their overall tally to six.
Fifteen-year-old Ellie Downie, the younger sister of Rebecca, claimed gold in the vault to add to the all-round bronze she won on Saturday.
"I just can't believe it; the whole week has been incredible," Ellie said.
"I knew coming into the vault final, having qualified in top spot, that I had a good chance. I just can't put into words how much this means to me but I'm very proud."
Catherine Lyons, 13, triumphed on the floor while 14-year-old Amy Tinkler was close behind, claiming silver on the floor as well as a bronze on the vault.