Hall helps GB to Tokyo
Gymnastics
countries like France, who didn’t qualify a team, but they had an individual who scored high enough all-around, so he’s got an individual ticket.
“He knows he’s going, which is difficult in itself, because we’ve done the harder thing by qualifying as a team.
“It’s pretty massive what we’ve achieved but none of us are guaranteed to go.
“It’s difficult but it is what it is and we have to get on board on with it. “It’ll be heartbreaking whether you make the team or not because we’ve all been together on this cycle and only four of us will make it.
“If you go, that’s great, and if you don’t, you’ve done all that work only to miss out at the last hurdle.”
Hall and team-mates, including double Olympic champion Max Whitlock, knew what was at stake in Germany but held their nerve. “There was the added pressure of trying to qualify for the Olympics but none of us let it get to us,” said Hall. “We were all really positive and we kept up with the rest of the world. “We invested a lot of trust in the work we’d done, in and out of the gym, and it showed on the day. We trusted ourselves and let the work speak for itself.
“I don’t think it sunk in that we’d qualified until I was sitting down last night going back through the British Gymnastics tweets.
“It does mean an awful lot but there’s more work to do.”
The team final took place yesterday (Wednesday) and Hall is back in action in the all-around final tomorrow. He said: “It’s a very busy week but I’m looking forward to that one.
“I’ll have Ionut (Trandaburu, Pegasus coach) on the floor with me for that, too, which will be great because at the moment you can only have two coaches down there.
“Top eight would be good for me but hopefully I can push a little bit more.” Courtney Tulloch, Hall’s Pegasus team-mate, is in Germany as the reserve.
He’s still very much in contention for the Olympics although his best route may be to qualify via his World Cup results.
Hall said: “Courtney’s all good. It’s difficult for him but he’s supported us really well over here. It’s always nice to have someone who can do just as good a job, in case something happens to one of the gymnasts.
“I’ve been in the reserve spot before and there is that relief of knowing you’ve not got that pressure on you but there is still pressure if you have to step in.
“There’s always a bit of you that wishes you were part of the team competing but it’s still an important job.” Steve McKimm has been frustrated again as he bids to strengthen his Tonbridge squad.
Two more players have turned down the chance to join Angels in National League South.
It’s the second double rejection in as many weeks but boss McKimm will keep working hard to bring in new recruits. He said: “A couple more decided not to come, for one reason or another.
“Again, I can’t understand that because we’re giving them a platform to play at a higher level and they don’t want to. “That’s their choice, you can’t force people to do something they don’t want to do.
“If they don’t want to come, they’re not right for us anyway. We only want players who want to be here.
“I’ve got a couple more conversations on Friday so we may or may not have someone in for the weekend.”
Tonbridge face a big challenge at Longmead on Saturday with the visit of in-form Braintree.
The Iron, relegated from the National League last season, are flying under new boss Glen Driver.
They’re joint-top of the form guide with five wins and a draw from six matches, while Tonbridge have lost their last three and are only being kept off the foot of the table by goal difference. McKimm said: “We’ve just got to look forward. We can’t keep looking back on the negatives.
“We knew it was going to be tough in this league but we’ve got to stay positive, keep moving forward and hopefully the tide will turn for us. “Braintree are absolutely flying.
They’ve beaten Dulwich and Havant away in that run but all we can do is try our best, if not better, and make sure we compete.
“Hopefully lady luck’s with us – not like at Hampton – and we’ll start getting results. It won’t be easy – no games in this league are.
“Glen’s got his team playing well, as he did when he was Leiston manager.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. I get on well with him.”
Chinedu McKenzie scored twice as Tonbridge came from a goal down to beat Romford 2-1 in a friendly last weekend.