Peterborough gymnast goes for gold at the Olympics
Jarman has trained at a Huntingdon club for around 14 years
Last updated 26th Jul 2024
A Cambridgeshire gymnastics club is hoping one of its athletes from Peterborough can bring home success for Great Britain at this summer's Olympic Games.
Jake Jarman, who's been training at Huntingdon Gymnastics Club for around 14 years, will look to add individual and team gold to his world, Commonwealth and European vault titles when he competes in Paris.
Jarman, 22, is aiming to make it through the qualification rounds on Saturday before heading into the latter stages of the individual and team events next week.
"It's controlling that energy which sets him apart"
Adam Scott is the club manager at Huntingdon Gymnastics and has seen Jarman's progress through the years.
"As he's become a senior gymnast, he's refined those tricks and skills and has always enjoyed those big tricks but really refining them," he said.
"That's what stands out for me, Jake is someone that wants to do the big tricks but with the highest level of perfection.
"He's a thoughtful, young man who will get up, do these amazing things, walk back calmly, sit back down, reflect on what he's done and go again, and I think it's controlling that energy which sets him apart."
Jarman a role model
Huntingdon Gymnastics Club has been home to previous Olympic talent, including former silver medallist Louis Smith and Commonwealth champion Dan Keatings.
The club, which has around 1,400 members aged from eight-weeks-old to 70-years-old, also boasts national and international talent at junior level.
But Adam believes Jarman is currently the one that other youngsters look up to.
"Jake can be a calm influence in the gym but he'll walk up to kids and go 'that was brilliant', and they'll thrive off that for weeks," he said.
"He probably doesn't always realise the impact he has on the other gymnasts because they do look up to him.
"You'll remember what went well and tweak what needed tweaking, you keep doing that, over-compensate and something else needs changing.
"Jake's been very good at understanding the emotions and trying not to let frustration get the better of him, and then sharing that with other gymnasts."