Becky and Ellie Downie ready to get gymnastics season underway
Sunday 7 February 2016 22:17, UK
Sisters Becky and Ellie Downie are preparing for 'a tough fight' for places to get into the British squad that will travel to the Olympic Games this summer.
The Nottingham gymnastic duo are set to resume competition in Scotland next month as they begin their journey to earn a spot in the team that heads to Rio 2016.
"We don't have any specific trials as such, we just know the majority of our competitions this year will be under consideration for Rio," two-time Commonwealth gold medallist Becky told Sky Sports.
"The first competition for both of us will be the British Team Championships in Glasgow on the second weekend of March and then we'll prepare for the English Championships and the British Championships.
"But overall things are really positive for British gymnastics right now. We have lot of girls who were previously injured and have now come back. Touch-wood most of them are fighting fit and ready to go for Olympic year.
"We know it is going to be a tough fight to get into that Olympic team but whatever the team that goes out there - both men and women - it will definitely be the best team that we can put out."
Becky and 16-year-old Ellie were both part of the British team that made history last autumn by claiming World Championship bronze in Glasgow - the first ever team medal won by Great Britain at world level.
Earlier in the year, Ellie claimed bronze in the Individual All-Around at the European Championships, becoming the first British female ever to claim a European medal in the event.
"That was a massive achievement for me and I shocked myself in terms of knowing how well I can do and highly ranked I am in Europe," Ellie said.
"That was a huge confidence boost for me and definitely helped me going into the worlds.
"Overall, 2015 was a pretty mind-blowing year. The Europeans was a massive achievement for me and to then make the Worlds team and get a Worlds team medal, which was our first ever global medal was absolutely amazing.
"It really was a fantastic year."
The pair were speaking at the 2016 British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards hosted by Sporting Equals at London's Grosvenor House hotel.
"I think events like this are important because they celebrate diversity on sport," Becky said.
"Sport seems to be growing in popularity in general in Britain and it's nice to have so many events now that celebrate that."
