Gymnast Frankie Jones taking nothing for granted ahead of Olympic Games
Frankie Jones may be the top-ranked rhythmic gymnast in the country but she is taking nothing for granted ahead of the Olympic selection next month.
Britain was only granted a place in the discipline upon appeal in March and Jones admits they have a long way to go to win over a sceptical public.
The 21-year-old, who performed a piece from her planned performance at London 2012 at the unveiling of the new Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites in Stratford overlooking the Olympic Park on Tuesday, will find out if she has made Team GB on July 4.
But barring a major shock the former Sir Christopher Hatton School pupil, in Northampton, will take to the floor in front of an inquisitive home crowd and she can’t wait to end her torment.
She said: “It’s not been announced yet, I just have to wait for it to be confirmed hopefully. I should be OK with being the top athlete in the country.
“It’s such an honour, for anyone who gets to compete in London it will just be the highest honour you could receive. To compete in the Olympic Games anywhere is fantastic, but in your home country is a phenomenal opportunity.
“In the world scene we are not very highly ranked, so it’s more about supporting the sport and showing it in this country and getting people interested in it.
“It’s not really about medal prospects, it’s about keeping the sport alive and hopefully showing children what it’s like and getting more people involved in the sport. A lot of it is music and expression so it’s a very good spectator sport.”
The last chance for Jones to showcase her talents will be the British Championships on June 29 – a competition she has won five times in the past.
And the Commonwealth Games silver medallist insists a sixth would be the perfect preparation for what could be the biggest summer of her life.
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“It should be an interesting British Championships coming up, I can’t wait to have a crack at winning it again,” she added.
“My last few competitions have gone really well, better than my last few, so I couldn’t have asked for much better and I’m happy with my progress.”
Holiday Inn is the Official Hotel Provider to the Olympic and Paralympic Games – visit ichotelsgroup.com for more information.
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