Max Whitlock and Becky Downie return to GB team for European Gymnastics Championships
- Published
Max Whitlock has won four European golds, three silvers and a bronze
Max Whitlock and Becky Downie have returned to the Great Britain team for the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Turkey.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Whitlock, 30, took a break from competition after Tokyo 2020 as he "struggled" with his mental health.
Downie, 31, returns for the first time since the 2021 World Championships.
World champion Jessica Gadirova is also included in the GB women's team for the event in Antalya from 11-16 April.
Downie and Gadirova are joined by Alice Kinsella, Ondine Achampong and Georgia-Mae Fenton.
Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse will make their debuts in the men's event alongside world, European and Commonwealth medallists Jake Jarman and Courtney Tulloch.
But world floor champion Giarnni Regini-Moran misses out as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Gadirova wins floor gold at Gymnastics World Championships
"Going through a phase where I really struggled after Tokyo was a time I learned a lot about myself, especially thinking I was finished with the sport," said Whitlock.
"This period of self-reflection and growth led me to return but with a new mindset. I'm more relaxed in training and in competition but equally more motivated to keep developing and progressing.
"It's almost a nothing-to-lose mindset which can be so powerful in competition. I'm looking forward to competing on a major stage again."
British Gymnastics performance director Tracy Whittaker-Smith said the returns of Whitlock and Downie were "hugely welcome and exciting" while debutants Hepworth and Whitehouse would "gain invaluable experience from being alongside a team... who have achieved so much and have been performing so spectacularly".
She added: "With a strong list of established GB gymnasts progressing to full fitness and form after a busy 2022 and many up-and-coming younger names to look out for, it's clear that there is a great pool of talent for us all to be excited about with less than 500 days to go to the Olympics."
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