Sky Scholar Sam Oldham on his performance at the World Cup Of Gymnastics
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 14/04/17 7:24am
The Sky Sports cameras were there, along with his family and thousands of screaming fans.
Pressure was on Sam Oldham at the O2 Arena for the World Cup of Gymnastics, but after a series of niggling injuries and missing out on Rio last summer, it was an event to savour.
Here are the thoughts of the 24-year-old from Nottingham, supported as a Sky Academy Sports Scholar since London 2012.
The World Cup Of Gymnastics - what at an event to be part of!
From walking out to Stormzy's 'Big for your boots' in front of a home crowd at the O2 Arena in London... to sticking my final dismount on the high bar.
I loved absolutely every minute of it. As a gymnast you don't get many opportunities in your career to compete in big stadiums like that.
I still remember competing at the British Championships less than a decade ago to the cheers of 200 supporters, most of whom were family.
So to be able to sell out a stadium like the O2 and have it broadcast live on Sky Sports shows just how far the sport has come in recent times.
I competed well with solid routines across the board and I finished strong on my final two events.
It's been huge for me competing on six apparatus with nothing holding me back physically in 2017. The next step for me is to start performing my routines to the high level I'm training at.
I'm really looking forward to getting back to the gym and working hard to improve on my fourth place finish at the weekend.
It was brilliant having my family, girlfriend and members of my Sky Sports Scholarships team supporting me.
My Sky mentor Geoff Shreeves experienced his first live gymnastics competition and by all accounts he's going to become a regular.
I must also give a massive thanks to the amazing people around me for always supporting my ambitions.
