Becky Downie looks to future after Paris medal miss

Becky Downie at the fourth day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France

British gymnast Becky Downie is holding her head high despite missing out on the medal she hoped for at the Paris Olympics.

The 32-year-old, from Nottingham, competed at her first games since Rio 2016 and shone on the uneven bars in the women's qualifying gymnastics.

But in the team final on the 30 July, she narrowly missed a team medal.

Despite her disappointment, she told the BBC that the changes she fought for in the sport meant "more than any medal" and that she was looking forward to a rest.

Ms Downie's final uneven bars routine was interrupted when she fell midway through, but she quickly recovered and completed it.

Speaking about missing out on the medal, she said: "It's something that I've worked my whole life for, and I genuinely couldn't have felt any more ready for that day.

"I felt really prepared, training had been going really well."

The moment Ms Downie fell during her final uneven bar routine

She added: "When I watched the replay, that's what I think made it worse because I didn't really feel like I was off until I was off, and when I saw the replay and my hands were fully on the bar, I said 'I don't even know how this has happened'."

But looking back at her performances throughout the games and being "back on a world stage", Ms Downie was pleased she could prove she "wasn't ever not good anymore".

Her Olympic return had followed a "difficult" few years, for a number of reasons. Ms Downie and her gymnast sister Ellie, lost their 24-year-old brother a week before the Tokyo Olympic trials.

The pair's individual careers had also faced "consequences" they did not expect, Ms Downie said, after their whistleblowing about abuses in the sport - which eventually helped to transform it.

"At the time, we didn't quite think it would come with the consequences that it did, but 100% for both of us, we didn't regret the decision, and the changes that we have seen since and are continuing to see are just really encouraging and really positive," she said.

'Enjoyed every minute'

To her and her sister - who were both appointed MBEs for their services to gymnastics and to gymnasts - those changes meant "more than any other medal could", she added.

And despite missing out on the medal, Ms Downie - a two-time Commonwealth Games and three-time European Championship gold medal winner - said she "enjoyed every minute" of being part of the event.

Now, though, after having spent no more than four to six weeks outside of the gym throughout her entire career, Ms Downie said she was looking forward to "relaxing and seeing what opportunities come up".

She said: "For future Becky, I really want to coach.

"Me and Ellie have spoken about - as long-term plans - about having our own gym.

"There's a lot of cool ideas, and I feel like I have so much to give back."

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