Gymnasts Launch Brum World Cup
Birmingham’s new European champion gymnast Dominick Cunningham returned home this week to headline the launch of the 2019 FIG World Cup event in the city.
The star was joined by fellow Brum medalist Joe Fraser at a media launch to kick-start ticket sales for the competition, set to be staged at Birmingham’s Genting Arena on March 23rd next year.
The pair, who both train at Birmingham’s GMAC centre, took part in a photo stunt on the canals outside the city’s Mailbox venue.
Both will be among the contenders to make the British team for the event, which is returning to Birmingham for the second year in succession.
It follows the success of this year’s edition, when 10,000 spectators cheered Midlands-born Alice Kinsella and fellow Briton James Hall to medals over two weekday evenings.
Format changes for 2019 will see both men’s and women’s competitions staged within a single day, with the event also moved to the weekend.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) event, part of a global World Cup series, will take place as Birmingham steps up preparations to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen commented on the choice of host city, saying: “We’re thrilled to bring the Gymnastics World Cup back to Birmingham for 2019. Gymnastics is a fantastic ‘family-friendly’ sport.
“The Genting Arena is a perfect venue for families to enjoy world-class sport and entertainment. There is a real buzz around the sport in the city and the region and there’s some amazing homegrown gymnastics talent here. That, combined with the huge success of last year’s event, made it feel like the right decision to come back to the city again.”
Floor gold medalist Cunningham added: “To have the World Cup back in Birmingham, and for people to get the chance to see some of the best gymnasts in the world going head to head again, is huge for gymnastics in the city and the Midlands.
“Taking part in this year’s World Cup in front of my home crowd was something I will never forget and it gave me the confidence to go on and perform at the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships last weekend.”
Fellow gymnast Joe Fraser, who recently returned from injury, said: “I’m desperate to be part of the squad after missing out this year and having it back in here will give me extra motivation.”
“I went to cheer the guys on in March and the atmosphere was amazing. Hopefully the fans in Birmingham and the Midlands will turn out in even greater numbers at the Genting Arena and give the British team the support it will need against some big nations and big stars.”
The Birmingham event is one of four top-tier international stages in the FIG’s annual World Cup of Gymnastics series.
Each stage features nine male and nine female athletes, drawn from the world’s leading gymnastics nations, who compete for prize money in the all-around event.
