Yahoo Sport 
Watch: Team GB’s Bryony Page’s joyous reaction to winning gold in Olympic Games trampoline final
When her score flashed up on the board, Bryony Page could not believe it. With child-like relief, she cradled her head in her hands, crumpled to the floor and screamed with delight. Olympic gold was the one medal that had eluded Britain’s most decorated trampolinist for much of her distinguished career. Not anymore. After securing silver eight years ago at the Rio Games before taking bronze at Tokyo, Page finally struck gold.
As a double world champion who defended her European title this year, Page admitted she had felt the nerves coming into Paris. She was the penultimate to perform in a tense final which only exacerbated the anxious wait. But once her willowy frame was confidently spinning, tucking and twisting through the air at heights which exceeded that of a double-decker bus, it was as if she knew this was her time.
“When I was on the top of the scoreboard, I thought I’d won, I forgot there was another person to go,” said an ecstatic Page, who had internally dialled down her own expectations heading into her third Games after a recent ankle niggle. “But I knew that was a medal and, for me, that’s what I was aiming for. I was aiming for gold since the World Championships but I had an injury coming out of them, so that gold changed to a medal, and almost changed to just to get to the Olympics and final.”
This was the moment we all knew it could be Bryony Page's day at #Paris2024...
And it was! 🥇#Olympics #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/QTgVDdqm5T— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 2, 2024
Her mini eruption came after China’s Hu Yicheng, the last to go and the only person who could dethrone Page, endured a nightmare routine in which she veered off to the side of the trampoline. She lost all momentum, bounce and flight and with it, the chance of a medal, as Page’s biggest victory of her career was confirmed.
The Crewe athlete now has the full set. Surely it would seem the perfect time to call it a day?
“No, I’ve still got more that I want to do,” insisted Page who, aged 33, was seven years older than anyone else in the field. “My Olympic career feels complete, but I still have the idea of going to Los Angeles [in 2028] so everything from this point will feel like an absolute bonus. Sorry, but I still can’t believe it.”
After reaching the pinnacle of their sport, most Olympians would draw the curtain on their career but Page calmly stated her next target: to fulfil her childhood dream of performing in the Cirque du Soleil.
She has harboured ambitions to join the world-renowned circus show since she was little, when she would make a yearly pilgrimage with her family to the Royal Albert Hall to watch the acrobatic troupe. In an individual sport, she has always been enamoured with the idea of being part of a community and all the creative energy that comes with it, from the eye-catching make-up to the flamboyant costume designs.
“If they still want me, I would love to perform,” Page said. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time and I’m not getting any younger, so to get to do that while I’m still feeling strong and healthy would be great. I’ve still got more that I want to do on trampoline straightaway, unless I have any (other) offers.”
After her golden performance, offers may be flying in. Page had finished fifth in the qualifying round but saved her best until last, upping the level of difficulty as she staked her claim for the ultimate prize.
Her ankle injury in the build-up to these Games had forced her to change tack - removing her “triple three” from her routine, which would have included an exceptional three triple somersaults mid-flight. Her watered-down exercise was still nevertheless audacious and far more bold than most of her rivals as she executed 10 different acrobatic exercises over the course of 24 quickfire seconds in a central position above the trampoline. Her score of 56.480 catapulted her to the top of the leaderboard, pushing neutral athlete Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya down into second place, as Canada’s Sophiane Methot took bronze.
After the euphoria subsided, Page had come back down to earth and in a testament to the determined competitor, was left wanting more. “I didn’t do the routine that I wanted to do, that I competed at the World Championships, so that’s one of the reasons why I might come back for another Olympics, just to get that routine out there because no one’s competed it in the Games,” she said.
Watch this space – nothing seems out of reach for Britain’s terrific trampolining talent.
Page soars to Olympic trampoline gold: As it happened
01:54 PM BST
“Completed it mate”
It feels amazing, I’m very shocked, surprised, sad it’s over! Every emotion you can go through. The medal is beautiful, has some of the eiffel tower in it. Completed it mate!
I hope Izzy Songhurst is happy, getting two Brits here was a big task. I’m grateful for all the support.
I had an ankle injury going in after the World Championships, I feel like I’ve been chasing time trying to get the routine, quality, numbers that I want. I had to change my plan to something that was more comfortable.
I’m hocked because yesterday I had a twinge in my neck, my ankle was sore, I was starting to doubt myself
01:46 PM BST
Medal moment
Some quotes to come!
01:38 PM BST
Number 1
01:33 PM BST
Silver for AIN, bronze for Canada
The podium is completed by Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya, competing under the AIN flag and originally from Belarus, whilst Canada’s Sophiane Methot is in bronze.
01:28 PM BST
The winning moment
This was the moment we all knew it could be Bryony Page's day at #Paris2024...
And it was! 🥇#Olympics #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/QTgVDdqm5T— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 2, 2024
01:26 PM BST
Page the champion
Page and her coaches are holding up the number one for the cameras. She came 2nd in 2016, 3rd at Tokyo, this has been the magic number they’ve been aiming for since she missed London 2012 through illness. Her face is one of genuine awe. Great scenes.
01:21 PM BST
Hu stumbles, GOLD FOR PAGE
She’s off the trampoline! Hu makes a big mistake and China go without a medal in this event for the first time since 2000. Page is the winner!!
Hugs all round as Page’s gold is confirmed with Hu’s score of 11.790. 33-years-old, third Olympics and fourth Olympic cycle and her perseverance has finally paid off.
Gold: Bryony Page - 56.480
Silver: Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Bronze: Sophiane Methot - 55.650
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Anzhela Bladtceva - 55.020
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
Madeline Davidson - 54.230
Yicheng Hu - 11.790
01:19 PM BST
One more to go...
Before Page can really celebrate - it’s Yicheng Hu who has opted for a lower difficulty. She qualified in 3rd!
01:18 PM BST
Page in FIRST
She gets 56.480 and hits the deck in disbelief! She’s guaranteed silver!!!
Bryony Page - 56.480
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Sophiane Methot - 55.650
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Anzhela Bladtceva - 55.020
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
Madeline Davidson - 54.230
01:16 PM BST
Bryony Page finishes jump
She’s hitting that central ‘x’ on every landing, it looks good and she’s smiling! Scores to come...
01:16 PM BST
Sophiane Methot
She celebrates as she lands, quite the contrast from her competitors, and a 55.650 puts her in second, she’s very happy having qualified in eighth! The tears continue to flow elsewhere, whilst leader Bardzilouskaya looks icey cool. Her medal is guaranteed! Page up next...
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Sophiane Methot - 55.650
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Anzhela Bladtceva - 55.020
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
Madeline Davidson - 54.230
Both Zhu Xueying and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya performed final routines with a difficulty rating of 14.400. I think Bryony Page will go up above that for her routine in the final. No risk, no reward and all that. It’s suddenly got very tense inside the Bercy Arena.
01:13 PM BST
Madeline Davidson
Now. She looks happier but is subdued by a score of 54.230. Her difficulty of 14 is a point or so lower than her previous jumpers, well-executed though. It might be a good tactic to build momentum rather than end your first, more difficult routine in tears...
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Anzhela Bladtceva - 55.020
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
Madeline Davidson - 54.230
01:11 PM BST
Anzhela Bladtceva
Of AIN (Russia) is next, and joins China’s Zhu in tears immediately after her routine finishes. The jumpers’ coaches stand by the trampoline with a crash mat ready for any errors, and you can get good insight to how well someone’s doing by how engaged the coach is. Bladtceva’s was on edge the whole time, and she scores 55.020
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Anzhela Bladtceva - 55.020
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
01:09 PM BST
Hikaru Mori
Of Japan is next, and her flight time also drops below the 16+ that Bardzilouskaya achieved on the way to a total of 54.740...
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
Hikaru Mori - 54.740
01:06 PM BST
Xeuying Zhu
The Chinese woman qualified in first with a score of 56.720, but a score of 55.510 in her first jump in the final is sub-par, her score suffered in the ‘flight time’ metric.
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya - 56.060
Xeuying Zhu - 55.510
01:04 PM BST
Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya
Is up first, flying the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) flag given her country of birth is Belarus. She scores a solid 56.060
01:00 PM BST
How will this work
The trampolining takes quite a simple format, thankfully, given some Olympic events are fond over over-complication. The jumpers have just one routine of ten elements each, their best score being the one that will rank them in their pursuit of Olympic glory. Based off the first routine, difficulty can be increased for the second.
Page qualified in fifth, and will be jumping very shortly. A score of 55.735 was good enough for bronze at Tokyo, 56.040 enough for silver in Rio. Her 2023 World Championship title came from a score of 56.680, although qualification saw her jump 57.210 - that’s her best individual score in competition so she’s on good form at the moment. Her qualification score was 55.620, so she’s performing close to her best today.
12:54 PM BST
Songhurst backing Page for gold
We’ve just heard from GB’s Izzy Songhurst following her departure from the competition in the qualifying stages. Here’s what she said:
Absolutely I’m going to be here watching her. Watching Bryony over the years, she’s a really inspirational person to train with. She’s absolutely got it in her to take this title.
She knows when to step up, when she needs to do her best work. She’s done three Olympics, so I know from training with her she’ll go out and do her best, hopefully she’ll be proud whatever happens.
To make three Olympics and three finals is incredible. Whatever happens I’ll be super proud of her, and I hope she will be too.
The 25-year-old on her own qualification and future:
My plan is to do the next two cycles. To take all the lessons I’ve learned here to the LA cycle, and hopefully the Brisbane cycle.
I’ve enjoyed every single moment of it. It’s really hard to qualify, the stars aligned for us, I feel lucky, but that i deserved to be here.
12:47 PM BST
Page a master of her craft
Good news for Britain’s Bryony Page - she’s through to the women’s trampolining gymnastics final after two polished routines in qualification after finishing in fifth place. Having won silver at Rio and a bronze at Tokyo, the 33-year-old will have a chance to complete the set in the final, which will begin shortly.
The reigning world and European champion will be a big medal contender - she’s looked calm and relaxed all morning and receives a big cheer from the British support inside the Bercy Arena as her name is called out among the list of finalists
Our very own Simon Briggs infiltrated Bryony Page’s camp last October, and was put through his paces mentally and physically. Page suffered with the infamous twisties as a youngster, so her ascent to the top of world trampolining is an inspiring one.
12:40 PM BST
Bryony Page aims to complete medal collection with gold
Good morning and welcome to our live blog of the women’s trampolining final, where Great Britain’s Bryony Page looks to upgrade her Rio 2016 silver, and Tokyo bronze to a gold having qualified for the final earlier this afternoon.
Her qualification wasn’t a medal statement, her scores of 54.970 and best of 55.620 sending her through fifth of eight, meaning she will be the fourth athlete to jump in the final. Her compatriot Isabelle Songhurst finishes outside the qualification spots in 13th, her best score of 52.920 leaving her 1.720 points from Canada’s Sophiane Methot in eighth, and 1.2 from a reserve spot for the final.
She will be disappointed on her Olympics debut, but she is a synchronised specialist having won the last two European Championships, and the Olympics doesn’t run a synchronised trampolining event.
Page, on the other hand, is a definite medal hope, and with her qualification position can lay down a gauntlet early on if her first routine lives up to her potential. The 33-year-old has come a long way, 11 World Championship medals including four gold in fact, since missing London 2012 through illness. One of those World Championship medals was in 2023, and her Olympic record boasts a silver in 2016, and a bronze in 2021, today is likely her last chance to add the holy grail to that collection, so consider her experienced, resilient, and ultra-focused - as we all know athletes don’t need a second invitation to perform on their ‘last dance’
