PARIS – Bryony Web page is aware of a factor or two about making historical past for Nice Britain.
In 2016, Web page and teammate Kat Driscoll had been Nice Britain’s first ever Olympic finalists in trampoline. She’d go on to win silver behind trampoline legend Rosie MacLennan – her nation’s first Olympic medal within the sport. 5 years later, on the delayed Tokyo Video games, Web page added a bronze.
Over the previous three years, Web page has been on a tear, successful the 2021 and 2023 world titles and snagging a silver in 2022. Nonetheless, she didn’t arrive in Paris as the favourite – that was China’s Zhu Xueying, the defending Olympic champion. Web page beat Zhu at 2023 Worlds, however may she repeat the feat? May she lastly stand atop the Olympic podium that she had turn into so nicely acquainted?
She may, and he or she did.
Bercy Enviornment set the stage for a coronation that feels as if it’s been within the playing cards since Web page’s first world championships in 2010.
Web page certified fifth with a 55.620, behind first place qualifier Zhu, AIN Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya, Zhu’s teammate Hu Yicheng, and AIN Anzhela Bladtceva. She wasn’t essentially stunned however wanted to pivot rapidly, with roughly half-hour between qualifying and the ultimate.
“I had a bizarre feeling that I’d end fifth this competitors,” Web page stated of her qualifying. “I feel I simply switched my thoughts, pondering, ‘Why are you going for fifth while you need extra?’”
Whereas Web page was capable of pivot, Zhu went the other method. Competing second within the ultimate, her routine was clearly off from the start. She was hugging one finish of the trampoline for a lot of the time and needed to sacrifice type to keep away from wiping out utterly. She was already out of rivalry for gold when her rating flashed 55.510 and would spend the rest of the ultimate together with her head in her fingers and tears in her eyes, figuring out that wasn’t to her customary.
The tears continued for Bladtceva, who certified fourth and had the prospect at a medal. As a substitute, she scored seven-tenths decrease than qualifying and left the rostrum together with her head bowed in disappointment.
With the door thrown extensive open, Canadian Sophiane Methot capitalized. She certified eighth, in final place, however upped her problem by six-tenths, was regular in the course of the equipment, and confirmed extra amplitude, scoring a 55.650.
Web page adopted with a barely decrease problem rating than qualifying – a 15.000 as an alternative of a 15.200 – however she made up the two-tenths after which some, including seven-tenths in execution alone and bettering her time of flight and horizontal displacement to tally a 56.480 – greater than four-tenths increased than Bardzilouskaya, who went first and scored a 56.060.
Hu was final up and China’s final probability to maintain their streak alive within the occasion, however her routine was reduce brief by a mistake that led to a fall, securing the rostrum.
“It sounds superb. I had fairly a tough build-up, anticipating this competitors for a very long time,” Web page stated. “I’ve struggled with an ankle damage, I twitched my neck yesterday (throughout podium coaching). So occurring I used to be actually nervous and wanting to remain centered and eager to make it into finals. I managed to get by way of prelims so I used to be actually pleased with that. After which, within the finals, I used to be capable of improve from what I did within the final Olympics.”
The 33-year-old stated she has no plans to retire – in truth, a fourth Video games could also be within the playing cards.
“My plan is to proceed,” Web page stated. “I like trampolining, and I like attempting new expertise and I nonetheless bought just a few extra achievements that I wish to obtain personally. Like new expertise in addition to another competitions that I’m actually eager to do, like synchronised trampoline on the 2025 World Video games with [teammate] Isabelle Songhurst. These are subsequent yr, so I’ve a great period of time to get what I need. Then, after that, possibly Cirque du Soleil in the event that they nonetheless wish to have me as an older athlete (laughs). We’ll see. Then I’d try to make a comeback for LA [2028] after Cirque.”
Bardzilouskaya, a 19-year-old from Belarus who was 5 when Web page competed at her first Worlds, gained the primary medal for an AIN in Paris.
Methot returned Canada to the rostrum, following in trampoline legend Rosie MacLennan’s footsteps. MacLennan gained back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2016.
American Jessica Stevens wasn’t capable of replicate her bronze medal from Worlds final fall and completed thirteenth.
“I’m nonetheless so pleased,” Stevens stated. “It was my first Olympics, so I didn’t know what to anticipate going into it. After all I wished to do some higher, however for being my first Olympics, I couldn’t be extra happy with what I did.”
