POOLE'S Bryony Page completed her set of Olympic medals with gold in the women’s trampoline.
The 33-year-old won a surprise silver medal in Rio eight years ago and then bronze in Tokyo but went into this competition in Paris as the reigning world champion and gold medal favourite.
Page was the penultimate gymnast to compete in the final at Bercy Arena and she cried and leapt with joy after her score of 56.480 was confirmed.
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Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya from Belarus became the first neutral athlete to win a medal at the Games, taking silver, while Canada’s Sophiane Methot claimed bronze.
Page, who also won the world title in 2021, qualified for the final with the fifth highest score but watched those competing ahead of her largely fail to surpass their qualifying marks.
The Crewe-born athlete, meanwhile, increased her score by close to a full mark from 55.620 and then saw the final competitor, China’s Hu Yicheng, fall during her routine.
That ensured Page would win Britain’s latest gold medal, to the delight of the hordes of flag-waving fans packed into the arena.
Poole-born Izzy Songhurst, who also trains at Poole Gymnastics and Trampolining Club at Rossmore Leisure Centre, finished 12th in the qualifying round on her Olympics debut.
Gymnast twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova have said they are “so proud” of Page’s trampoline win.
Great Britain rank third in the medal table after a series of golds on Friday, with Imogen Grant and Emily Craig claiming first place in the lightweight women’s double sculls and Scott Brash, Harry Charles and Ben Maher winning gold in the jumping team final.
Jessica and Jennifer, who competed for GB at the Tokyo Games, said Page’s win was well deserved.
Jessica told the PA news agency: “We didn’t actually get to watch it but all our friends and family was texting saying, ‘Bryony has won gold’, and I was like ‘Oh my god, no way. That’s amazing’.
“Especially how she’s been in this cycle, it was definitely well deserved and we’re so proud of her.”
Her sister Jennifer added: “The same for me, we’re all so proud of her.
“We watched her in Tokyo, she’s had an incredible trampoline routine and she’s got all three colours of the medals now and luckily this one’s gold.
“We’re just so proud. She’s been going for so long, this is her third Olympics, and just amazing to top it off with a gold.”
The 19-year-olds do not train with Page but will often be at Lilleshall National Sports Centre at the same time as her and will have a catch-up when they bump into her there.
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