Aylesbury teenager takes gold in gymnastics' European Championships
Jessica Gadirova said she was 'jumping for joy'
An Aylesbury gymnast has taken bronze, silver and gold at the European Championships.
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Gadirova claimed Great Britain's first gold at the European Championships in Basel, winning the floor exercise for her third medal of a remarkable debut appearance.
The Aylesbury gymnast, making her senior bow in a major championship, had already taken bronze in the all around and silver in the vault and on Sunday completed a clean sweep of podium places.
Gadirova was last to perform her routine and picked up an outstanding score of 13.966 to finish clear of Russia's Angelina Melnikova and Italy's Vanessa Ferrari in second and third.
She said:
“I'm speechless, over the moon, jumping for joy.
“Just to even get selected for the European Championships I was so happy and I was so proud to be here. Then to make the finals and win the medals, I can’t believe it.
“I'd been on the podium twice and was getting higher and higher on the steps, then to be on the top was just overwhelming. I just thought wow, I've actually done it.
“As this week has gone along I’ve got more and more comfortable and confident and today just feels incredible."
It has been a rollercoaster week for the teenager, who took a hard fall on the beam in qualification on Wednesday.
Four days later and Gadirova will return home to show twin sister Jennifer a complete set of European medals, including all-around bronze and silver medals.
Giarnni Regini-Moran had earlier added a bronze in the men's vault to the British medal haul.
The 22-year-old from Great Yarmouth placed third behind Ukrainian Igor Radivilov and Israel's Andrey Medvedev with a final score of 14.583.
Regini-Moran, a former European silver medallist at junior level, finished two places ahead of fellow Briton Courtney Tulloch. Joe Fraser and Amelie Morgan had previously banked bronze medals.