Beth Tweddle relishing Simone Biles and Max Whitlock return to World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

BySportsbeat

Updated 01/10/2023 at 11:25 GMT

Beth Tweddle cannot wait to see Max Whitlock and Simone Biles back competing at the biggest stage, with the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships now underway in Antwerp. The gymnastics trailblazer Tweddle also believes Great Britain will treat the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships no differently, despite not having home advantage this time round.

Max Whitlock of Great Britain during Day One of the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Sportpaleis on September 30, 2023 in Antwerpen, Belgium.

Image credit: Getty Images

Beth Tweddle is relishing the return of Max Whitlock and Simone Biles to the global stage as the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships get underway in Antwerp this weekend.

Three-time Olympic champion Whitlock, 30, has not competed internationally since defending his pommel horse title in Tokyo two years ago, while Biles only returned to training earlier this year after her silver and bronze medals in the Japanese capital.

The American superstar, 26, suffered from 'the twisties'- a mental block that affects athletes while competing aerial moves - in Tokyo, but has returned with impressive national victories prior to the showpiece in the Belgium city.

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And trailblazer Tweddle, the first female British gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships, Olympic Games and European Championships, can't wait to see the decorated duo strut their stuff when the action kicks off on Saturday.

"Simone has taken two years out and will still come back with a bang," said the 38-year-old, speaking at an event at Park Wrekin Gymnastics Club in Telford to celebrate the transformational impact of National Lottery funding.

"I didn't expect anything less, but you never know, two years is a long time, but she's done fantastic.

"And some of that skill level that she's doing, the double pike Yurchenko is absolutely incredible.

"I saw the videos of it from podium [practice], and you can't comprehend how hard it is because she makes it look so easy.

"But it's definitely great to have her back on the international scene and it's going to be an interesting World Championships.

"And it's the same with Max Whitlock. He's had a couple of years out, he was doing the commentary with us from the World Championships in Liverpool last year and it's nice to see him back out competing as well and enjoying it."

Park Wrekin is the training base of Olympic and World Championship medallist Alice Kinsella, who will spearhead the British women's team in Antwerp this weekend.

British athletes have racked up over 100 global medals since National Lottery funding began, with 22-year-old Kinsella's scintillating World Championship team silver in Liverpool last year helping propel that figure even higher.

And for three-time world champion Tweddle, who was the first British woman to win a World Championship medal 20 years ago, believes the lack of home advantage this time around will not affect Britain's competitors.

She added: "Liverpool put on a great show, as they always do, and for any home athlete it's always nice to be able to perform in your home environment.

"They truly rose to the occasion, rather than seeing it as pressure, they used it to their advantage.

"But they'll treat this championships no differently, they'll go out there to perform to the best of their ability.

"I think there'll be medals brought home. The fact that you've got such a wide variety of people that are able to make finals and potentially bring home medals is great."

Jessica Gadirova of Britain celebrates her gold medal win in the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Floor Final at the World Gymnastics Championships-Liverpool 2022 at the M&S Bank Arena

Image credit: Getty Images

The World Championships last year were Britain's most successful ever, with Jessica Gadirova now defending her floor title in Belgium.

The men's and women's teams have also qualified for the Olympics whilst in Liverpool, meaning the pressure is off with less than a year to go to the Paris 2024 Games.

Tweddle said: "This World Championships is very different for the British team.

"Because normally this Worlds is where we have to qualify.

"Qualifying last year, it took that pressure away from this Worlds, so it allows you to go out with maybe slightly different tactics."

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