Emily Thomas: Welsh artistic gymnast retires at the age of 20

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Emily Thomas took up gymnastics at a local club in Bridgend

Welsh international artistic gymnast Emily Thomas has retired at the age of 20 after suffering a series of knee injuries.

Thomas won three titles at the 2016 Junior Commonwealth Championships in Namibia and joined the Great Britain squad in 2017.

In 2018 Thomas represented Wales at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"Gymnastics has always been my life; It was my motivation, my passion and my first true love," said Thomas.

"What I have learnt is that not everything goes the way you plan for it to, but I've finally accepted that that's okay."

Welsh women's artistic national coach Tracey Skirton-Davies and performance director Jo Coombs paid tribute to Thomas in a statement.