Becky Downie: British Gymnastics extends selection process for 2016 Olympian
- Published
The Downie sisters are both current members of the GB gymnastics squad
Becky Downie has accepted an offer from British Gymnastics to extend its selection process to give her a further chance to secure her place at the Tokyo Olympics.
Becky and her sister Ellie missed the team's final selection trial in Cardiff last weekend following the death of their 24-year-old brother, Josh.
Becky, 29, tweeted that she wanted to continue competing in her brother's memory, writing: "I know Josh would want me to take it as far as I could go."
British Gymnastics will create an additional trial event in order to give Downie the best possible chance to secure a place in the four-strong women's team, which had been due to be selected this week.
Ellie Downie, 21, has decided not to take up the option and, according to the statement, is "taking some time away from the sport to be with her family".
Both sisters represented Great Britain at the 2016 Olympics.
British Gymnastics said in a statement: "Following the tragic news the Downie family received last week on the eve of the final Olympic trials in Cardiff we felt it important in such an unprecedented situation to take time to look at how we might be able to grant an extension to the selection window to allow for a further opportunity to complete the trial.
"In such difficult circumstances we feel strongly that this is the right thing to do."
Results from the Olympic trials, of which Cardiff was the fifth, are just one of a number of factors considered by selectors when picking their final squad.
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