European Gymnastics Championships: Becky Downie says selection is 'a step in the right direction'

British gymnast Becky Downie performing on bars — Becky Downie was crowned British champion on bars in March

European Gymnastics Championships
Venue: Antalya, Turkey Dates: 11-16 April
Coverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Two-time Olympian Becky Downie says her selection for the European Championships is a "step in the right direction" after recovering from an Achilles injury.

Downie, 31, returns to the Great Britain team for the event which starts in Antalya, Turkey on Monday.

It is her first international competition since the World Championships in 2021.

"I actually saw the injury as a game-changer for my career," she said.

"Normally, an injury like that is career-ending but the team really trusted me. I've done enough training with injuries over the years to know what to do."

Downie ruptured her Achilles in June 2022 and was expecting to be sidelined for about a year. But she returned to compete after nine months and won gold on bars at the British Championships in March.

After missing out on selection for the Tokyo Olympics, Downie says she is targeting Paris 2024 and feels she has "a lot more to offer".

"I still love what I do, and I just felt I had so much more to give which is why I chose to stay in the sport [after injury]," she said.

"It was a big decision. But being British champion on bars has given me a lot of confidence going forward, and it's important for me to get back on the international stage, back in the team environment and I want to make sure I enjoy it."

Downie is joined in the women's team by world floor champion Jessica Gadirova and world team silver medallists Alice Kinsella, Ondine Achampong and Georgia-Mae Fenton.

In the men's event, three-time Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock was due to compete for GB for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, but withdrew on Thursday with a "minor injury".

Whitlock has been replaced by British all-around champion Adam Tobin in a team including debutants Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse and world, European and Commonwealth medallists Jake Jarman and Courtney Tulloch.