Glasgow will host the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships, bringing the event to Scotland for the first time.
World championships to be held in Scotland for the first time
Glasgow will host the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships, bringing the event to Scotland for the first time.
Beating off competition from Paris and Orlando, Glasgow was named host city for the prestigious event by the Federation of International Gymnastics.
And the decision comes following a joint bid between British Gymnastics, Glasgow City Council, EventScotland and UK Sport to bring the sport to Scotland.
With just over 400 days until the Olympics and the recent securing of the 2015 Canoe Slalom world championships, UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl regards this as yet another event to position the UK as a leader in world sport.
Nicholl said: "It is fantastic that we are able to confirm the 2015 Gymnastics World Championships as one of the showcase world championships the UK is set to host beyond 2012.
"In securing this event and the 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships, we have made a great start towards using the catalyst of both the London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 Games to position the UK as a world leading host nation."
Inspiration
The championships will be held in the new £120million 12,500-seat Scottish National Area which is currently undergoing construction and is scheduled to open in 2013.
But before playing host in four years time, the arena will get a practice run when it holds the gymnastics and netball competitions at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
However, it is the 2015 championships which will be one of the largest sporting events ever to be held in Glasgow with an estimated 525 gymnasts from 80 countries taking part over ten days.
And British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen is hopeful that competing on home soil will provide the athletes not only with the inspiration to win medals but ensure qualification for 2016.
Allen said: "As the qualification event for the 2016 Olympic Games we are sure that all British gymnasts will benefit hugely from the terrific home-crowd support that we have become accustomed to receiving in the city."
