Jessica Gadirova still adapting to newfound stardom

Jessica Gadirova is a superstar — whether she likes it or not. The 18-year-old's mesmeric twists and tumbles catapulted her onto the world stage last year as she stormed to floor gold at the World Gymnastics Championships. Ad It was the crowning moment of totemic week for Great Britain, that saw the hosts win a historic six medals and seal qualification for next year's Olympics in front of a rapturous Liverpudlian home crowd.

GymnasticsEllie Downie retires from gymnastics aged 23 to ‘prioritise mental health’23/01/2023 AT 14:25 Coventry star Gadirova became the country's youngest-ever gold medallist, having turned 18 just a month prior, and joined Beth Tweddle as Britain's only female world champions. And after three more gold medals at this month's European Championships in Antalya — in the all-around, floor and team events — Gadirova is now the undisputed female face of the sport in the UK less than 18 months out from an Olympic Games. She is a red-hot multiple medal contender for Paris next summer, having also earned Britain's first-ever all-around medal with bronze in Liverpool.

With an Olympic bronze from Tokyo alongside eight European Championship medals — five of them gold — it is a CV any of Gadirova's peers set to leave school this summer would envy, but she admits her new-found status is still taking some getting used to. «I am still getting used to people recognising me more,» she said. «I still find it crazy that people recognise me; it's definitely different.

»I am just trying to focus on myself. When people say I am a world champion, I still just can't believe it, I am still in shock. «I still feel so normal, and I just go to training like nothing has ever happened.