Gymnast Daniel Keatings celebrates landmark gold medal

SCOTLAND'S Daniel Keatings struck gold at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Birmingham – the first time a British male had topped the podium at a major event.

Keatings won the pommel horse competition ahead of Great Britain team-mate Louis Smith – the Olympic bronze medallist – as Britain accumulated one gold, two silver and one bronze at the National Indoor Arena.

Keatings and Smith were members of the five-man squad which took Britain's first team medal on Saturday, while another member of the silver medal-winning squad – Daniel Purvis – secured bronze in the floor competition yesterday.

The junior team ended the competition with five gold, one silver and two bronze in a display which demonstrates the strength in depth of the British programme. The women – led by world champion Beth Tweddle – begin their bid later this week and will be keen to match the men's results.

It was a groundbreaking display from the hosts, capped off by Keatings' gold. The World Championships all-around silver medallist scored 15.600 in the pommel horse final to overhaul Smith's mark of 15.375.

Smith went first in the competition and was seen biting his towel as he watched the remaining seven finalists attempt to better his total, which featured a minor blip when his legs inadvertently came apart.

His Huntingdon club-mate Keatings was the penultimate competitor to take to the apparatus and put in a flawless display to win with Slovenia's Saso Bertoncelj claiming bronze with 14.900. Smith had taken European silver 12 months ago in Milan, with Keatings taking bronze, and qualified ahead of his friend and training partner in first place.

But Keatings bounced back from two mistakes in Saturday's team event – including having to remount on the pommel horse – to emerge victorious.

The 20-year-old is originally from Corby, Northamptonshire, but represented Scotland at the last Commonwealth Games. "It was one and two which was an amazing achievement," said Keatings. "Louis was a little bit gutted not getting the gold medal, but he did get the silver in the end so it's awesome."

The duo train under coach Paul Hall in Cambridgeshire and Keatings had a consolatory word for Smith. "We're the best of friends, so we want each other to do as best they can," he added. "When Louis split his legs on the pommel I was a bit gutted for him. It meant he got a bit of a lower score and opened the door for me."

Keatings is thrilled the hard work of Britain's men is finally receiving recognition.

"We are doing really well – not just Louis and I, but the whole team," he added. "I'm just glad we're getting gymnastics noticed."

Britain's results have come in the absence of gymnastics powerhouses Russia but Keatings downplayed the significance of their no-show, caused by last week's air traffic chaos.

"They would've been a threat in the team event, but we performed really well and even if they had have beaten us, we'd have still been on the podium," he said.