Annika Reeder has retired from international gymnastics, and will move on with her life. The 21 year old is now coaching gymnastics, and has not ruled out a comeback to her career.

Annika has had a brilliant career for Great Britain - arguably the most successful British gymnast ever. She is Britain's first ever two-time Olympian (1996, 2000) and also competed in 6 world championships, 2 Commonwealth Games, and numerous other international competitions. She is the only ever back-to-back Commonwealth Games gold medallist - as she won floor at both the 1994 and 1998 Games. She was also the 1995 and 1999 British National Champion, and runner up in 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2000.

Congratulations Annika on a remarkable career, and we wish you all the best for the future!

After a successful Olympic Games, Annika is still considering continuing her career for Great Britain gymnastics. I have no news on her plans, but will add any information once I receive it.

Annika puts in strong Olympic performance, despite injury
15th October, 2000

Annika will come away from the 2000 Olympic Games wondering what might have been, after an ankle injury suffered on her second rotation vault ended her all around competition. After a strong floor routine (only a step out of bounds on her final tumble) worth 9.262, Annika moved to the vault. She fell on her first attempt (Phelps vault), and then rolled her ankle on jumping on the board for her second attempt. This resulted in doing only a tucked handspring type vault, and the end of her all around competition. She scored 7.274, and finished in 36th place.

Despite looking to be a serious problem at the time (Annika was carried from the podium), it was just an aggravation to a lingering problem from the past year. She is now fine, and also told me that the injury had nothing to do with the vault height problem - for which everyone is blaming her fall. She told me she didn't even notice the vault was on a different height!

However, it was not a disappointing Olympic Games for Annika, or Team Great Britain. Qualified in 11th place, Britain put in an excellent competition to finish 10th. Annika was the second highest British performer in the team competition (27th; Lisa Mason 22nd) - both of whom had all four scores counting to their team total. Annika went through her four performances very cleanly, with no noticeable errors. She shows that one can only get stronger as they get older - and has kept the British team together for so many years. The British team also qualified three gymnasts to the all around final (Annika, Lisa and Emma Williams) - the first time ever for British Gymnastics.

Congratulations to Annika and Team Great Britain for a fantastic performance!

Annika has told me that she is not sure what her future holds - and that she might even continue gymnastics for a bit longer!!

Annika looking good in Games build up
2nd September, 2000

Annika is looking good to finish her international career on a very strong note, training well in the build up to the Games.

Annika has added a fantastic new double layout dismount off bars, and has further enhanced her all around capabilities. She will be performing all four apparatus for the team.

Good luck Annika!!!

British Team arrives in Australia
29th August, 2000

The British Olympic Team has arrived in Australia for its pre-Olympic training camp. Annika qualified first for the team, which is:

Annika Reeder
Emma Williams
Lisa Mason
Melissa Wilcox
Kelly Hackman
Sharna Murray

Reserves:
Paula Thomas
Holly Murdock

Congratulations, and good luck to all gymnasts through their preparation and Olympic Games experience. A huge good luck in particular to Annika, for whom the Olympics will likely be her final competition.

Britain beats Belarus
31st July, 2000

Great Britain has shown that they are very likely to finish above 12th ranked Belarus at the Sydney Olympics, after defeating them by almost 10 points in a dual meet recently.

The final result was:
1. Great Britain 148.250
2. Belarus 138.375

Individually, Annika was second all around to new British Champion, Emma Williams. Annika was extremely consistent over all four apparatus, with all scores between 9.362 and 9.200. Annika finished with 37.087 to Emma's 37.787. Annika also achieved the second highest score on vault and bars, the third highest on floor and the fourth highest on beam.

Thanks to Becky Thorne for this information:

Annika Reeder's new floor music is similar to Tatiana Lysenko's 92/93 one and it really suits her. In this comp, Annika almost fell on her tuck front on beam (she had to take some quick steps back - difficult on beam, but she mananged it), and on floor, she had a couple of little problems with the tumbling.

Annika's results from this competition is now available.

The British squad has now travelled to Belarus for a training camp, and will fly out to Brisbane, Australia for their final training camp prior to the Olympics on August 26th.

Annika runner up in 2000 British Championships
10th July, 2000

With the Sydney Olympics just over two months away, Annika and the British team have been extremely busy. On the weekend, was the 2000 British Championships and third Olympic selection trial. With all on the line, the competition was tight. Ten Olympic hopefuls were fighting for the squad of eight, to travel to the pre-Olympic training camp in Brisbane, Australia in late August.

Coming off a successful second Olympic trial, Annika continued her successful performances with a second placing at the British Championships. She failed to retain her national crown by less than 0.1, while Emma Williams won her first national title in style.

Annika put in four strong apparatus, but two large wobbles on beam (pike front mount, front sault) let the title slip away. Never the less, Annika can be proud of a strong competition. Her floor score of 9.625 was world class - improved in the apparatus final for an incredible 9.800!!! Undoubtably this gave her the floor gold medal, after performing a double layout, 2½ twist-punch front, handspring-rudi-layout step out and double pike.

Annika also won the bronze medals on vault (Phelps and handspring pike front) and bars, and silver on beam.

With her excellent performances at the British Championships, Annika qualified for the Olympic squad in first place. She will now train for the dual meet against Belarus, and in mid-August will fly to Brisbane.

The qualifiers were (along with their final score from the trials):

1. Annika Reeder 110.410
2. Lisa Mason 109.430
3. Sharna Murray 108.770
4. Emma Williams 108.530
5. Kelly Hackman 108.410
6. Melissa Wilcox 108.310
7. Paula Thomas 107.720
8. Rochelle Douglas 107.420
9. Holly Murdock 107.360

Annika back in business at high quality international and second British Olympic Trial
29th June, 2000

Annika has been really busy of late, and has competed twice in the last week - both to very excellent results. Her dream of a second Olympic Games is truly becoming reality.

First, Annika competed in the Spain v Ukraine v Romania v Great Britain competition. Against the top quality field, Great Britain finished fourth - which was expected with the strength of their rivals (many believe the three will be in the top six at the up and coming Olympics). Annika was the second highest British finisher, in 14th place (36.450). Sharna Murray was 13th, with 36.562.

Annika also competed in the second British Olympic Trial yesterday, where she won the all around!!! Her four scores were excellent, with an all around total of 37.174. Sharna Murray placed second all around, and Kelly Hackman third.

Annika competed a very clean round of competition, which included two stuck vaults and a very nice bar routine. Beam included no falls and a nice double pike dismount, and she has added her double layout back into her floor routine once again.

Annika is in fighting form for the British Championships in just over one weeks time, good luck Annika in defending your national title!

Annika's results from these competitions are now available.

Another Second place at English Championships
21st June, 2000

Following up her excellent result in the first Olympic trial, Annika has once again finished second - this time in the English Championships. Annika scored 35.800 - second only to Beth Tweddle, an upcoming junior. Although still not back to her best, placing is the all important factor in qualifying to her second Olympic Games.

Annika's results of this competition are now available.

Annika's upcoming competitions include:

* Second Olympic Trial - June 28
* British Women's Championships (Third Olympic Trial) - July 7-9
* Great Britain v Belarus - July 22

Britain competes successfully as Annika misses Europeans
20th May, 2000

Annika did not qualify for the team for the European Championships - having been unprepared since her ankle injury. However, she is training hard to qualify for the British Olympic Team. If she is successful in doing this, Annika will be the first British female gymnast to compete in two Olympics.

Congratulations to the British team for placing 7th at the European Championships, and to Lisa Mason for her 10th place finish all around (she is now the highest ever British gymnast - Annika previously was at 13th) as weell as 7th on beam.

Congratulations also to the junior team that was 8th. Individually, Rebecca Mason finished an excellent 10th all around, while Beth Tweddle was 14th all around, and 6th on bars. Well done to all British gymnasts!

South Essex succeeds at British Team Championships
10th April, 2000

Annika competed over the weekend at the British Team Championships, which was also the second trial for the European Championships. I am not aware of whether Annika has qualified to the team, after her 8th place finish all around. She competed watered down routines due to her problematic ankle, and her scores were:

VAULT: 8.662
BARS: 9.150
BEAM: 8.050
FLOOR: 8.900
ALL AROUND: 35.762

Annika's club, South Essex (Annika, Paula Thomas, Caroline Gilbert) won the team competition, over the City of Liverpool and Park Wrekin. Annika's teammate Paula was the top individual, posting an excellent 37.062 all around. Natalie Lucitt was second, and Sharna Murray third.

Ankle a worry for Annika's second Olympic compaign
1st March, 2000

Annika has been unable to fully train since the Christmas holidays, after obtaining an ankle injury. The doctors are unsure of what the problem is, making it a possible threat to Annika competing in her second Olympic Games. For this reason, Annika is back at home, and is doing light training at her home club, South Essex with original coach, Rod Smith. However, Annika is determined to be there, and become the first gymnast from Britain to compete in two Olympics. Not to mention competing within a team at the Olympics for the first time.

Annika has also told me that she will retire from gymnastics after the Olympic Games, should she make it there.

"Reeder" added to Code of Points
14th February, 2000

Following the 1999 World Championships, the FIG (Federation of International Gymnastics) have added all the new elements into the Code of Points, and Annika has been lucky enough to achieve this honour. Only a few gymnasts have their name added to the code of points, and from this month, the uprise full turn or uprise 1½ turn will be officially named the "Reeder." The skills have a difficulty value of "D," meaning that it is very difficult.

It is interesting that Annika was the first gymnast in the world to perform this skill at the World Championships, being such a commonly used skill. Great Britain competed in the second round of qualifying, with seven teams competing before them on the bars. Four of these countries ended up placing higher than Great Britain, yet none of the gymnasts performed the "Reeder."

This is a fantastic achievement and honour for Annika, never before experienced by a British gymnast, and certainly an honour that she will never forget.