Smith proved my inspiration says Jarman
JAKE Jarman was a 10-year-old schoolboy when he watched on a big screen as Louis Smith won two medals at the London 2012 Olympics - and decided he would dedicate his career to emulating his Huntingdon gymnastics club-mate.
A decade later Jarman stands on the brink of becoming the first English gymnast to claim four golds at the same Commonwealth Games after adding the floor apparatus title to his rapidly-increasing collection in Birmingham.
The 20-year-old could be joined in his potential quadruple haul by Joe Fraser, who continued to defy a fractured foot as he edged Northern Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan to clinch the pommel horse title and his second gold of the Games.
Jarman, who has already won the team and all-around titles, said: “I remember in 2012 we had a big screen up in the gym and I remember watching Louis and thinking: ‘I want to be like that.
“These competitions feel like a huge stepping-stone on that way.
“I’ve always had Paris 2024 as my main goal in life and nothing has changed apart from my mentality and my ability to believe in myself a little bit more.”
Jarman rose to the occasion again in the eight-strong floor final, eclipsing his scores in both the team event and the all-around final with a total of 14.666 which could not be surpassed.
Team-mate Giarnni ReginiMoran took bronze behind Felix Dolci of Canada.
Jarman added: “It’s a new experience for me - I’ve never had a competition where I’ve done this well.
“I’m just trying to keep the energy high and the good vibes up and the momentum going because I feel like if I was to sit back and relax I wouldn’t be able to put on these types of performances.”
Fraser, whose build-up was stricken by a ruptured appendix and a fractured foot, made up for his disappointment at having to miss out on the all-around competition by delivering a winning score of 14.833 on pommel.
McClenaghan, who had eclipsed Max Whitlock to win a shock gold on the Gold Coast, saw his hopes of retaining his title evaporate when he slipped during his routine - but his score of 14.133 was still enough to take silver. Fraser, who said he had had no further negative reactions to his injury, revealed Whitlock, who has opted to miss the Commonwealth Games competition, had inspired his performance:
He said: “He sent me a message to say: ‘OMG you legend!’
“That medal was for Max. A routine in a pommel final is difficult in itself so I’m over the moon to walk away as the champion.”
England won two further gold medals on the first of two days of apparatus finals as Georgia-Mae Fenton and Courtney Tulloch comfortably retained their women’s uneven bars and men’s rings titles respectively.
Fenton continued her habit of rising to the big occasion as she delivered a 13.9 routine to nudge Australia’s Georgia Godwin, already crowned all-around and vault champion at these Games, into second place.
Afterwards the 21-year-old, who will also compete in the beam final alongside team-mate Alice Kinsella today, revealed the secret of her continued success on the apparatus.
She said: “I listen to quite hardcore hip-hop, that gets me in the zone. “I like to stay within myself and not focus on other things.”