Homecoming gymnast says gold win 'means the world'

Jake Jarman won gold in the men's floor final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

A gymnast said winning a gold medal "meant the world" to him as he was welcomed back to his home club.

Jake Jarman, from Peterborough, won gold in the men's floor final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, last month.

He returned to Huntingdon Gymnastics Club, in Cambridgeshire, on Wednesday for the first time since his achievement.

"To be home with a medal around my neck - and it is a gold medal as well - it means the world to me and I am incredibly proud," he said.

Jarman, 23, finished top in the event with a score of 14.866 with fellow Briton Luke Whitehouse close behind.

"I think floor has always escaped me in terms of coming away with a medal, especially in bigger competitions," he said.

Jarman returned to Huntingdon Gymnastics Club and showed his medal

Jarman, who started at the club in 2011, said on his return: "It is a bit of a shock, really, as I did not expect that many people to turn up.

"It is a strange feeling seeing that many people celebrating my achievement."

Jarman received a similar welcome after winning bronze in the men's floor final at the Olympic Games in Paris last summer.

He said he was "a bit lost for words" as he entered his club and that "it feels like time has just flown by" since he came home from the Olympics.

"The nicest thing is seeing the younger gymnasts and knowing they look up to me," he said.

"I think now I see that as an opportunity to help to inspire them."

He said his next step was focusing on training ahead of the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships next year.