Abi Martin returns to Torbay after 'surreal' Olympics

The mother of Olympic gymnast Abi Martin has praised her daughter's achievements in Paris as she makes her way home from a “surreal” closing ceremony. 

“We watched her on TV during the ceremony,” Said mother Ellie Martin.

“She said it was an amazing experience, being amongst all those people in that situation. It’s just surreal.

“Abi’s been very chilled throughout the Olympics. She seems to take everything in her stride. Obviously, privately she’s been quite nervous about it but she just gets on with it.”

Despite having not even received her GCSEs yet, Abi Martin from Paignton managed to go from underdogs in the competition to a fourth-place finish, just shy of a bronze in the women’s team gymnastics event. 

On the night that Simone Biles put gymnastics front and centre of the Paris Olympics, Abi and Team GB came together to deliver some of the performances of their lives.

Abi, Becky Downie, Georgia-Mae Fenton, Ruby Evans and Alice Kinsella nailed each and every one of their 12 routines at the Bercy Arena but were edged out by Brazil for the bronze medal by just 0.2 of a point.

Ellie said: “They didn’t have the best qualifiers, but they went out there in the finals and smashed it.  Abi was actually top-scoring for the team on her floor in qualifications. Then in the finals, she went and did it even better and got a personal best score. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Abi's family and members of her South Devon School of Gymnastics were in the crowd in Paris to watch her do her family, club, the Bay and her country proud.

Abi achieved this even though she only became old enough to compete in senior gymnastics just a few months ago.

“She was six when she told us she wanted to compete in the Olympics, so we’ve known what she was going for a while now,” said Ellie. 

“But she only became a senior in January. Then one of the other GB girls got injured so she made the team that went to the Euros where she became a silver medalist. It wasn’t long after that that the Olympic team was selected - It’s been quite a journey.”

The eldest of the GB team is Becky Downie, who at 32 competed in her first Olympics in 2008, the year Abi was born. 

“Abi says that the team has been amazing, they’ve all really gelled. In particular, Ruby Evans has been great. They did a lot of big competitions together as juniors so she’s been a good friend.”

Now back in the UK, Abi has one more week off before it’s back in the Gym. She’ll also finally receive her GCSEs. 

Ellie added: “I thought two years ago when she made these teams as a junior, it was crazy then, but you can’t get much bigger than the Olympics!

“The support from South Devon School of Gymnastics as well as all the other gymnasts and their families has been so important. Abi’s long-term goal is to do more for Team GB and for gymnastics. She’s got big goals, now she just needs to follow her dreams.”