AMY TINKLER may be the youngest member of Team GB in Brazil but she certainly came of age in the Rio Olympic Arena.

The 16-year-old from Bishop Auckland continued British gymnastics' remarkable run at these Games by claiming a shock bronze in the floor final.

Initially picked to boost the team’s efforts at a podium position – Tinkler made history just in qualification as the first British woman to make a floor final.

But there were few in the arena yesterday who anticipated what was to come from a pocket rocket who still is yet to find out if she has passed her GCSEs.

She will receive those exam results the day she lands back from Brazil but in the final here in Rio she passed her most important test with flying colours.

Her routine – with music from the film Pretty Woman – scored 14.933, a third of a point up on her effort in qualifying.

She was immediately followed by America’s Simone Biles – the queen of gymnastics who sealed her fourth gold of the Games with a 15.966.

There was no surprise with Biles’s victory, nor her Team USA compatriot Alexandra Raisman’s silver but no-one could beat the 16-year-old Durham gymnast’s score as the final wore on.

Finally it was left to Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari but her routine finished a fraction down and Tinkler seemed stunned at the result on the board – as were the crowd as she became Team GB’s youngest medallist in 32 years.

“I am in total shock at the minute, it is just amazing,” she said.

“I was just here to do my job for the team – I was not expecting any medals.

“It was bit nerve-wracking having to wait, knowing I was so close to getting that medal. But either way I would have been happy with where I finished.

“I went out there and did my best and I enjoyed it so the result would have been happy either way.

“It is a bit crazy, I’m a bit speechless. I put no pressure on myself, neither did my coaches or family. They just told me to that I had nothing to lose to go out there and enjoy it.

“I had made the floor final so it was important to relax and have a good time.

“As soon as I finished my floor routine I knew that I had done the best I could, whatever result I would have been happy.”

With Mum Nora and Dad Michael in the crowd, the miniature Tinkler – she stands at 4ft 9 and has size three feet – had made the whole of South Durham Gymnastics Club proud.

Tinkler has been doing the sport since the age of two – her first flip was on her bed and she went straight down to the club to show her friends what she had learned.

What a long way she has come and the future is very bright for British gymnastics.

On the men’s side Max Whitlock claimed two golds and a bronze, while Louis Smith and Bryony Page already had silvers before Tinkler and Nile Wilson's bronzes on Tuesday.

And her teammates' performances pushed Tinkler on – both here in Rio and looking forward to the future.

“It’s been incredible – everything has been fantastic,” she added.

“Max and Louis were incredible getting their medals and it inspired me a lot – the week we have had has just been incredible.

“Hopefully you will see me back out here in 2020 and there will be more medals to come.”

But it is not just her current teammates that have played a role – she has now followed in the footsteps of Beth Tweddle in claiming an individual bronze at the Olympics.

Tweddle did so at London 2012 and Tinkler has called her an inspiration – as has seeing how the best of the best like Biles go about their business.

"I am so honoured to see my name up against hers (Biles). She is the best of the best and USA are out in front at the moment,” she added.

“Being on the floor with those gymnasts is inspirational – they are lovely and we get on so well.

“To get a bronze like her (Tweddle) is inspirational. It all just doesn’t seem real at all.”

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