GB’s Hepworth takes historic bronze in vault

Harry Hepworth became the first British man to win an Olympic vault medal with bronze in a high-quality final in Paris.

Hepworth’s score of 14.949 bettered that of compatriot and reigning world and European vault champion Jake Jarman (14.933), who finished fourth.

The Philippines’ Carlos Edriel Yulo secured his second gold of the Games (15.116) having topped the podium in the floor event on Saturday, while silver went to Armenia’s Artur Davtyan (14.966).

“I don’t know how many hours of training have gone into this bit of metal – it’s a phenomenal feeling,” Hepworth said.

“It means the world to me, I’ve worked my whole life for this. I don’t even know what’s happening right now.”

Hepworth, 20, was second to compete and was left with an agonising wait to find out if those following would jump above him on the scoreboard.

Jarman went third and clung on to the bronze-medal position until Davtyan, who vaulted last, finally pushed him off the podium.

The pair had already made history by becoming the first GB men to qualify for an Olympic vault final, after Hepworth also became the first Briton to reach the rings final, where he finished seventh (14.800).

Jarman won bronze on floor on Saturday and was expected to add another medal on his favoured apparatus but Hepworth, competing at his first Games, sprung a surprise with two consistent vaults which scored highly for execution.

As the youngest member of Great Britain’s men’s Olympic team, who finished fourth in the team final, Hepworth has shown immense promise at this Games having also reached three apparatus finals in his first World Championships last year.

At the age of five, Hepworth was diagnosed with Perthes disease – a condition that effects the hip joint – and was unable to participate in any sport for three years. But a visit to his school from gymnastics coach Craig Richardson inspired him to take up the sport.

His condition means one of his legs is four centimetres shorter than the other. But Harrogate-born Hepworth has said he thinks it helps him with his twisting skills.

He stated before the Games that his ambition was to one day be Olympic champion in the rings, but he beamed on the podium as he received his vault bronze after showing he is capable of excelling on more than just one apparatus.

Earlier, Becky Downie – competing at her third Olympics – finished seventh (13.633) in the uneven bars final after falling during her high-risk routine as Kaylia Nemour secured gold (15.700) to win Algeria’s first ever gymnastics medal.

The 32-year-old went all out on difficulty to challenge for the gold medal but missed the bar on ‘the Downie’ – the move named after her – to put herself out of medal contention.

“As soon as I fell I just felt ‘this is how it was supposed to be’,” a tearful Downie told BBC Sport.

It had already been an emotional week for the two-time European champion, competing in Paris just over three years after her 24-year-old brother died a week before the Tokyo Olympic trials – which she pulled out of.

Tuesday’s team final, where Britain’s women finished fourth, fell on his birthday and Downie said she “couldn’t have done any more” in Sunday’s uneven bars final after a “hard journey”.

She added that it was “highly likely” this would be her last competition having competed in her first Olympics 16 years ago.

“Coming into this I knew it was building up towards the end,” she said.

“I would’ve loved to finish on a better routine but I feel like you can go forever trying to chase a medal and this is just how it was supposed to be today.”

American gymnast Simone Biles just missed out on qualification for the uneven bars final, the only apparatus she has not made the final in.

She will go in the beam and floor finals on Monday having already won individual all-around, team and vault titles.