Gold medal gymnast Tulloch had nut allergy scare before Munich finals

Britain's Courtney Tulloch suffered what was thought to be a nut allergy the night before the team won a gold medal in Munich

A British gymnast who won a team gold medal in the European Championships almost did not compete after suffering an allergic reaction the night before.

Courtney Tulloch, who trains in Basildon, Essex, struggled to breathe and his face swelled up after eating noodles thought to contain nuts.

The gold and bronze medallist said he was not aware of any allergy to nuts before the meal.

His team mate Joe Fraser noticed him struggling and called the team doctor.

Tulloch, who lives in Essex, said he suffered the reaction the night before the team final event in Munich.

He had only taken one bite of the noodles before deciding he did not like its taste.

After his meal he returned to his room which he was sharing with Fraser.

Courtney Tulloch decided to continue competing despite his face still suffering from the effects of a food reaction

Tulloch said he showered and got into bed.

"I felt so uncomfortable, I was tossing and turning, rubbing my eyes a bit. I was struggling to breathe a bit," he said.

However, the athlete thought whatever was aggravating him would pass.

"Luckily Joe came out of the shower. He noticed my face was swollen. He took a picture of it to show me and then called the team doctor who sorted me out," said Tulloch.

"It was very, very scary, I'd never experienced anything like this before."

'Battle through it'

Tulloch said he had avoided nuts after trying them as a child and decided he did not like them.

But it was the first time he had suffered an allergic reaction.

"To happen the day before one of the biggest competitions is not ideal," he said.

The team medic gave him some antihistamines and an asthma pump "to open up my chest" as he was struggling to breathe.

Tulloch said he only got an hour or so sleep. "I woke up the next day and was feeling so rough," he said.

He was prescribed more paracetamol and ibuprofen and his face, although reduced, remained swollen.

"I just had to try and battle through it," he said.

Britain's gold medallists Giarnni Regini-Moran, Jake Jarman, Joe Fraser, Courtney Tulloch and James Hall celebrate after winning the Men's Team Final

He said he had to make the difficult decision of whether or not continue to compete.

"A couple of times I thought, I don't think I can do this," he said.

"But I felt okay in the warm-up. I was able to do a little bit of rings, and I sort of believed in myself, that I could go up and deliver a score for my team.

"I just didn't want to let my team mates down because if you do mess up, it does affect the team result and possibly not winning a gold medal, so there was quite a lot of pressure.

"The team did back me and it gave me the confidence to go on."

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Because he still felt issues with his chest, Tulloch decided did not compete in the floor exercise. Jo Fraser stepped in for him.

"My chest was still too tight. I don't think I would have made all my tumbles," he said.

Tulloch, Fraser, Jake Jarman, James Hall and Giarnni Regini-Moran went on to win gold and were crowned European men's gymnastics champions.

They are the first British team to win the European title since 2012.

Tulloch said he was now booked into his GP so that tests could be carried out on any potential nut or food allergy.

"I'll never eat a nut again," he said.