BURY Grammar School pupil Mark Freeman showed just what a class gymnast he is when he took the gold medal on the rings at the European Junior Championships in Patras, Greece on Sunday writes PHIL THORP.

The 17-year-old from Crumpsall (pictured right), a member of the Central Manchester Gymnastics Club, has high hopes of taking part in this summer's Commonwealth Games and won't have done his chances any harm after this amazing display.

The rings are at a height of 2.75 metres from the floor and routines should include a variety of movements demonstrating strength, support and balance.

The gymnast should perform a series of swings and holds and both forward and backward elements and the routine should finish with an acrobatic dismount.

Mark's coach, Byron Clithero, was delighted with his performance and said: "It is an outstanding achievement for Mark, and totally deserved as he is totally disciplined and dedicated.

"His routine is the result of months of planning after analysing the best of world class performance."

Mark's total score was 9.237 and he beat Russian Anton Golutsutskov (9.162) into second place with Romanian Ciprian Veres (9.150) third.

The achievement is the best ever European result from a British junior and the first gold medal ever in men's artistic gymnastics by a Briton.

Mark's win comes hard on the heels of a successful 2001 when he was British Under-18 champion on rings and high bar and finished seventh in the Glasgow Grand Prix with 8.800 points.