Team GB return 'hard to put into words' - Kinsella

Alice Kinsella, an Olympic bronze medallist and three-time Commonwealth champion, is returning to international competition after giving birth. The 25-year-old British artistic gymnast made history by becoming the first British gymnast to resume elite competition following childbirth. Kinsella, who trains with Park Wrekin Gymnastics Club in Shropshire, is preparing for her first competition in Team GB colours at Fenton Manor in Stoke on September 12-13.

The event, featuring four other nations, marks the first time Kinsella will compete in all four apparatus - balance beam, bars, vault, and floor. Kinsella told BBC Radio Stoke that it's been a "rollercoaster" but a "good one." She credits her gymnastics background for helping her return to physical exercise quickly, despite the changes pregnancy and childbirth have brought to her body.

Kinsella also noted that parenthood has helped her become better at handling pressure as an athlete. Her son Parker, born in September 2025, is an inspiration and will be watching his mother compete at the weekend. Kinsella aims to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, with her return to the sport serving as a source of pride and motivation.