Tunney took ballet from a young age but gave it up at five years old to focus on gymnastics.[1] She moved to the City of Liverpool gymnastics club when she was ten years old to train with coach, Claire Duffy. Duffy said, "She was tiny, quite scruffy and overwhelmed by the environment, but keen and excited to get in there and give it a go. When she first won a medal, you could see how she loved to train to win. She'd had a taste of medals and that was exactly what she wanted to do: she wanted to be a champion."[1]
Tunney formerly attended Droylsden Academy Secondary School. She said, "I've not been to school for quite a long time but they know why I'm away and where I'm going, they're supportive about everything and I sometimes take work with me."[1]
After formerly living in Manchester, it was felt with the 2016 Summer Olympics in mind, she should be based nearer to her gym. In September 2012, she moved to live in Liverpool with the family of her coach. She also switched schools, leaving Droylsden to join The Belvedere Academy. In an interview with The Guardian, Tunney said "After school I just walk down (to the City of Liverpool club) – it's only 10 minutes."[4]
In July, Tunney competed at the British Championships in Guildford, United Kingdom. She placed second in the all around competition with a score of 53.900. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 13.750 and fifth on floor scoring 12.850. Tunney said, "I'm really happy. I got a bit nervous at times but I wanted to prove myself again after the Europeans and I think I've done that today."[6]
2011
In May, Tunney competed at the British Teams competition. She contributed an all around score of 50.450 to help City of Liverpool win first place.[7]
In July, Tunney competed at the British Championships in Liverpool, United Kingdom. She won the all around competition with a score of 54.850 and in event finals she placed first on uneven bars scoring 13.450, sixth on balance beam scoring 12.850, and first on floor scoring 13.900. "I wasn't expecting to win at all so I'm really pleased," Tunney said. "I've competed on podiums before and always find it such great experience and it was great having the support of my club here in its hometown. All the younger gymnasts from my club were able to watch and were cheering me on it was great."[8][9]
In September, Tunney competed for England at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man. She helped the English team place first and individually placed sixth in the all around final with a score of 50.30.[10] In event finals, she placed first on vault scoring 13.350, fifth on uneven bars scoring 12.300, and third on floor scoring 13.650.[11]
Senior career
2012
In January, Tunney competed at the London Prepares series where she placed nineteenth all around with a score of 54.399.[12] Also, she placed sixth in the uneven bars event finals with a score of 14.266.[13] Tunney said, "The atmosphere at the test event was really good. The reactions you got from the home crowd after routines were incredible. My mum went to the test event, and my grandma and grandpa went. They always say they're proud but I don't take it in – it's just me doing gymnastics. They obviously see it in a different way, as a major thing."[1]
In March, Tunney placed eighth at the American Cup in New York, United States with an all around score of 52.132.[14]
In May, Tunney competed at the 2012 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Brussels, Belgium. After qualifications, Tunney said, "I competed at the 2010 junior Euros but that was nothing like here, with a full crowd, it was really great I enjoyed every minute of it. I've been working on the new vault, the Yurchenko double twist and it's paying off, I was really happy with that today."[15] In team finals, she competed on vault, uneven bars, and floor for the British team which placed fourth. "I had good performances all round and I'm really happy with how the team have done. I was nervous coming into this event but think I've coped really well. To make no mistakes in all my routines so far is brilliant, my floor has been solid all week so I'm looking forward to the final tomorrow."[16] In event finals, she finished fifth on floor with a score of 13.800.[17]
At the end of May, Tunney participated in the British Teams competition which acted as the first Olympic trial. She helped her club, City of Liverpool, win first place with the highest all around score of 56.550. In event finals, she placed second on vault scoring 14.750, first on uneven bars scoring 14.700, fifth on balance beam scoring 13.600, and second on floor scoring 13.500.[18]
At the beginning of June, Tunney competed at an international friendly with gymnasts from Finland and Spain in Ipswich, United Kingdom which was also the second Olympic trial. She won the all around competition with a score of 56.500.[19]
At the end of June, Tunney competed at the British Championships in Liverpool, United Kingdom. This is the third and final Olympic Trial to decide the gymnasts that will represent the United Kingdom at the Olympics. She won the all around competition with a score of 56.750.[20] She said, "It’s totally unexpected to win. The main focus with it being the Olympic trial was to stay clean and I thought if I did that I could get maybe in the top 5 but to win is incredible. The trials have all gone really well for me so it’s now just up to the selectors to decide what works best for the Olympics. The first year as a senior couldn’t have gone better really and I’m really enjoying competed in front of big crowds. Having won the junior title last year and moved straight up to win seniors is brilliant, I’m very happy."[21] In event finals, she placed second on uneven bars scoring 14.350,[22] fifth on balance beam scoring 13.550,[23] and fourth on floor scoring 13.500.[24]
At the beginning of July, Tunney was selected to compete for the United Kingdom at the 2012 Summer Olympics,[25] making her the youngest athlete for Team GB at London 2012.[26] After arriving in London, she said, “It’s been overwhelming, definitely, I wasn’t expecting it to be like this. I knew it was going to be big but this was more than I expected. But I’ve got all my team-mates to settle me down and talk me through things. Being in the village has been the best bit – how big it is, and seeing other athletes, great athletes, walking around. The others have tried to calm me down.”[27]
London Olympics
At the end of July, Tunney competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England where she was Team GB's youngest athlete at the games,[28] aged 15.[citation needed] She helped the British team qualify in fifth place[29] and individually she qualified to the all around final with a score of 56.391.[30] In the team final, Tunney contributed scores of 14.866 on vault and 14.766 on uneven bars toward the British team's sixth-place finish.[31] She said, "First Olympic Games and we're getting into the team final and finishing sixth, you can't ask for anything bigger. It was inspiring to see the men get a medal. They did their best yesterday and so did we, even though we didn't medal."[32] In the all around final, Tunney placed thirteenth with a score of 56.932.[33] She said, "It's been an amazing experience here in London; the best week of my life. To compete at a home Games in front of this crowd has been incredible. To be the youngest in Team GB I'm very proud and I've learnt so much. The rest of the Games I'm looking forward to the atmosphere and cheering on Team GB."[34]
2015
On 23 April, it was announced by the British Olympic Association that Tunney was to represent Great Britain at the first ever European Games alongside 2014 Commonwealth champion Kelly Simm and senior newcomer Tyesha Mattis,[35] although due to perpetual injuries with Tunney and a recent operation with Mattis they were both withdrawn from the competition and replaced by double 2014 Commonwealth bronze medalist Georgina Hockenhull and 2014 World Championships reserve athlete Charlie Fellows.[36]
On 6 April, Tunney announced that she had retired from competitive international gymnastics to concentrate on university work and potentially coaching in the future.
Related Research Articles
Elizabeth Kimberly Tweddle is a retired British artistic gymnast. Renowned for her uneven bar and floor routines, she was the first female gymnast from Great Britain to win a medal at the European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. Tweddle, known for her consistency and longevity as an elite gymnast, is regarded as a pioneer of the renaissance of British gymnastics at the beginning of the twenty-first century that saw the country's gymnastics programme progress from 'also ran' to consistent global competitiveness.
Imogen Jayne Cairns is a British former artistic gymnast who competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Representing England, Cairns was a three-time Commonwealth Games champion in vault, twice, and in floor exercise.
Rebecca "Becky" Downie is a British artistic gymnast who competed at the 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics. She is a double European champion and 2014 Commonwealth Games champion on the uneven bars as well as the 2019 World silver medallist.
Elsa García Rodriguez is a Mexican artistic gymnast who represented Mexico at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also awarded the Longines Prize for Elegance during the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships. Having won 35 medals in international competition, she is widely regarded as the greatest female Mexican gymnast of all time.
Hannah Kate Whelan is a retired British artistic gymnast who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Whelan won three European Championships medals and four British senior national titles, and was the bronze medallist in the all-around at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Brittany Rogers is a Canadian artistic gymnast who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She attended the University of Georgia and competed for the Georgia Gym Dogs. Consequently, combining both elite and college gymnastics without deferral, Rogers is one of very few gymnasts to have undertaken this combination – vying for a spot on the 2016 Summer Olympics team.
Aliya Farkhatovna Mustafina is a Russian former artistic gymnast. With a combined total of 45 Olympic, World and European Championship medals, she is considered one of the most successful gymnasts of all time.
Diana Maria Chelaru is a Romanian artistic gymnast who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Viktoria Aleksandrovna Komova is a former Russian artistic gymnast. She is a two-time Olympic medalist, having won silver medals in the all-around and team events at the 2012 Olympics. She is also the 2011 world uneven bars champion and all-around silver medalist, and the 2015 co-world champion on uneven bars. At the junior level, she was the 2010 Youth Olympics all-around champion, uneven bars champion, vault champion, and floor exercise bronze medalist. Komova is known for her fluidity, form and old school Soviet style.
Diana Laura Bulimar is a Romanian artistic gymnast and a 2-time European Champion with Romania. She was part of the Romanian team at the 2012 Summer Olympics that won the bronze medal.
Danusia May Francis-Reid is a retired British artistic gymnast who represented Great Britain and Jamaica in international competition. She was a reserve athlete for Great Britain's 2012 Olympic team. She attended UCLA and competed for the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team. She represented Jamaica at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Kristina Vaculik is a Canadian artistic gymnast who represented Canada at the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2011-2012, Vaculik took a year off from Stanford University, which she is attending on a gymnastics scholarship, in order to train full-time for the Olympics.
Christine Jennifer Peng-Peng Lee is a retired Canadian artistic gymnast. She was a member of the Canadian team that qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics and committed to attend UCLA after the Olympics, where she led UCLA to a comeback win at the 2018 NCAA National Championship. Lee prefers using her Chinese name, Peng Peng, when doing gymnastics and she claims that it makes her feel like "someone completely different."
Anastasia Nikolayevna Grishina is a former Russian artistic gymnast. She was a member of the silver medal winning Russian team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2013 European all around bronze medalist.
Dominique Pegg is a Canadian artistic gymnast and competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Jessica Savona is a Canadian artistic gymnast and an alternate for the 2012 Summer Olympics team. After the Olympics, she will attend and compete for Louisiana State University.
Ruby Esther Harrold is a British artistic gymnast who was a member of the British Olympic team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Harrold was also a reserve athlete for the 2012 Summer Olympics team. She was a member of the British team that won the bronze medal in the team final at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Following her retirement from elite gymnastics after the 2016 Summer Olympics, Harrold became a member of the LSU Tigers gymnastics team, having received a full athletic scholarship to attend Louisiana State University, beginning Fall of 2016.
Niamh Rippin is a British former artistic gymnast and was a reserve athlete for the 2012 Summer Olympics team.
Amy Tinkler is a retired British artistic gymnast. She is the 2016 Olympic floor exercise bronze medallist and the 2015 British all-around champion.
Charlie Fellows is a British artistic gymnast. She was a reserve gymnast for the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, China, and the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Great Britain 
England 
