Joe Fraser wins historic bronze at world gymnastics championships
Joe Fraser was left in disbelief after making more gymnastics history with a brilliant high bar bronze medal at the world championships.
The 26-year-old became the first British gymnast to win a medal on the apparatus after executing a stunning routine in Jakarta.
It was Fraser’s second individual world championship medal, six years after he became the first British gymnast to win gold on the parallel bars.
The two-time Olympian had joked he was now an “OAP in the gymnastics world” heading into the first major championships since Paris 2024.
But he proved there is still plenty left in the tank with a superb performance.
Fraser, who opened his own gym in Lichfield after last year’s Games, now can’t wait to show off his medal when he returns to the UK.
“It’s kind of hard to believe,” he said. “There were a lot of incredible gymnasts in the final, World and Olympic champions, it was so intense.
“I wanted to go out and enjoy myself and put on the best show I could. To walk away with a bronze medal I’m very proud and can’t wait to share this to everyone at my club back home.”
Fraser had qualified for the final with the second best score and bettered it with a bold routine which received a score of 14.700 from the judges.
The former Sandwell College student then faced a nerve-wracking wait to see if it would be good enough for a medal, his bronze confirmed when the final competitor, Japan’s Tomoharu Tsunogai, was only able to score 14.600.
America’s Brody Malone took gold with Japan’s defending champion Daiki Hashimoto pipping Fraser to silver.
Fraser’s medal concluded an impressive championships for Team GB after Ruby Evans and Abi Martin won silver and bronze on the floor earlier in the day.
