Gymnastics: World event is awarded to Glasgow

Glasgow has been chosen to host a world championship gymnastics event.

More than 500 gymnasts from 80 countries will visit the city to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2015.

Glasgow was selected ahead of bids from Paris and Orlando, bringing the event to Scotland for the first time. The tournament will be held in the new 12,500-seat Scottish National Arena currently under construction at the SECC. The 120 million arena opens in 2013 and will play host to the gymnastics and netball finals during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The decision by the Federation of International Gymnastics follows a joint bid between British Gymnastics, Glasgow City Council, EventScotland and UK Sport.

City council leader Gordon Matheson said: "This is fantastic news for Glasgow. It reaffirms our position as one of the world's top sporting cities and Scotland's sporting capital.

Sport minister Shona Robison said: "Gymnastics is a fantastically popular sport in Scotland and I am delighted to see the success of this bid.

"Scotland has an enviable reputation for staging major sporting events."