surreal

Olympic bronze medallist Alice Kinsella says it is “completely surreal” to have been named in the Great Britain team for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships just a year after giving birth.

She has been selected to compete in Rotterdam between 17-25 October alongside world medallists Abigail Martin, Ruby Evans, Becky Downie and Alia Leat.

The 25-year-old, a two-time European champion, became the first British artistic gymnast to resume competition after giving birth when she finished fourth in the beam at the British Championships in March.

“I can’t put into words with how I’m feeling right now, my goal was always to be ready to compete properly next year and to now say I’m going to the World Championships just feels completely surreal,” said Kinsella, who also got married over the summer.

“I feel so incredibly proud of this achievement. To think I’m going to the World Championships just over a year postpartum is insane.

“It’s been a tough year but I don’t regret my decision in coming back to elite sport at all, it was always the goal of mine and there was nothing stopping me from reaching that goal.

“I can’t wait to tell this story to Parker when he’s all grown up, it’s a big one to tell!”

Double world champion Jake Jarman will participate in the men’s event in the Netherlands along with Olympic bronze medallist Harry Hepworth.

Scotland’s Reuben Ward, three-time world medal winner Joe Fraser and double world medallist Courtney Tulloch will also feature for Britain.

Colwill’s boyhood hero, however, was much closer to home. Ever since being raised on recordings of Steven Gerrard he has aimed to emulate the Liverpool great.

“My old man had DVDs and I used to watch loads of Liverpool games of [Gerrard] playing when he was scoring goals,” said Neath-born Colwill.

“So, he’s a player, especially when I was younger, I used to try and model my game on.”

He may not yet have reached the Premier League stage that Gerrard graced but Colwill – the younger brother of Cardiff and Wales team-mate Rubin – broke into Bellamy’s squad in September 2025 making his debut in a friendly against Canada. His second cap came six months later against Northern Ireland.

“When I go on [Wales] camps, I’m trying to learn as much as I can off Craig and the top talent they have there,” Colwill added.

“There’s some top players there, like Harry Wilson and David Brooks, with a lot of them playing in the Premier League, which is every player’s aspiration one day – to play in what some would say is the best league in the world.”