Ready for Rio: Claudia Fragapane

In the run-up to the Rio Olympic Games, ITV News speaks to four Olympic hopefuls in Team GB. In the latest in our series Ready for Rio, today we profile gymnast Claudia Fragapane.

With four Commonwealth Games gold medals to her name at the age of just 18, Claudia Fragapane is not only one of Team GB's brightest talents, but one of the youngest.

Her journey to Rio started at a local gym club in Bristol when she was "about five or six" years old. So impressed were the coaches, Claudia was sent to the Bristol Hawks club, where she still trains today.

Initially gymnastics was "for fun", though she admits she has always "wanted to beat everyone" and "be the best".

In 2014 Claudia was just that, racking up four golds at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow for England.

Claudia on the floor at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships. Credit: PA
Winning gold in the Women's Floor Final at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Credit: PA

Profile: Claudia Fragapane

  • Born in Bristol on 24th October, 1997

  • Club: Bristol Hawks

  • Coach: Helen Potter and Rory Weavers

  • Won four gold medals for England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

  • Placed 10th all-round at the 2014 World Championships; made the floor and vault finals

  • Won the floor silver at the 2015 European Championships

  • Won all-round gold at the 2016 British Championships, as well as vault, beam and floor silver

So what can we expect in Rio? Claudia is optimistic about the team's chances but is not setting the bar too high for herself.

"I think we have potential to get a team medal," she said. "I feel like British gymnastics is getting stronger and stronger and if we do all our work right, fingers crossed we could get a medal.

"Individually I would love to go all around and just get the best score that I can, not to get a medal but I just want to get a big score for myself and beat all the other competitions previously. I'd love to get a beam final or a floor final. That would be great."

Claudia is aiming to beat her personal best in Rio. Credit: ITV News
Claudia won four golds at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Credit: ITV News