Who are the Gadirova twins? Team GB’s Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova compete in women’s floor final
The teenage twins have already won bronze in the women’s team event at Tokyo 2020
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Great Britain will have two representatives in the final of the women’s floor gymnastics final at Tokyo 2020.
Twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova will look to add individual success to the bronze medal they helped secure in the team event earlier at these Olympic Games.
Follow Tokyo Olympics 2021: Latest medals and updates
American favourite Simone Biles withdrew from the all-around final after pulling out of that team event in the first rotation to focus on her mental health, though she is now due to return to action in Tokyo on Tuesday in the beam final.
Twenty-four gymnasts qualified through to the final at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, with a maximum of two athletes involved from each nation.
Jessica Gadirova was the leading British qualifier, finishing 12th after strong performances across the four disciplines (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor).
Twin sister Jennifer finished 17th to also progress to the floor final as the first reserve after Biles withdrew following her exit from the all-around final in order to “protect” her mental health, while also passing up on the individual vault and uneven bars finals before confirming her appearance in the beam final on Tuesday.
The 16-year-olds were born in Dublin and are of an Azerbaijani background, with both of their parents from the former Soviet republic.
They have both British and Irish citizenship and began gymnastics at the age of six, and are on the “Wall of Fame” at the Aylesbury Gymnastics Academy in Buckinghamshire, and have just finished their GCSEs.
Jessica earlier this year became the European champion on the floor at the 2021 championships in Basel.
She added a silver in the vault and a bronze in the all-around competition.
Jennifer, meanwhile, finished second in the vault at the 2019 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics in Hungary.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments