Imogen Cairns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Imogen Cairns
Cairns at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
Full name	Imogen Jayne Cairns
Country represented	Great Britain  England
Born	(1989-01-26) 26 January 1989 (age 36) Southmead, Bristol, England
Height	156 cm (5 ft 1 in)
Discipline	Women's artistic gymnastics
Club	The Academy
Head coach(es)	Liz Kincaid
Choreographer	Valorie Kondos Field
Music	Alone by Delirium (2008–2011), Pulmon by Bajofondo (2012)
Retired	October 2012
World ranking	Vault 12 (2011)
Medal record Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 2006 Melbourne Vault Gold 2010 Delhi Vault Gold 2010 Delhi Floor Exercise Silver 2006 Melbourne Team Silver 2010 Delhi Team

Imogen Jayne Cairns, born on January 26, 1989, is a British former artistic gymnast. She competed for Great Britain in the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Imogen also represented England and became a three-time champion at the Commonwealth Games. She won gold twice in the vault event and once in the floor exercise.

Imogen's Gymnastics Journey

Early Success and Challenges

In March 2006, Imogen competed for England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. She helped her team win a silver medal. Imogen also won a gold medal in the vault final, showing her strength in this event.

Later that year, she competed at the British Championships. She performed very well, placing second on vault and floor exercise. She also earned a third-place finish on the uneven bars.

Overcoming Injuries

The year 2007 was tough for Imogen. She broke her wrist and then her ankle. These injuries meant she had to miss important competitions, including the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Her coach, Liz Kincaid, explained that the ankle injury happened during a vault practice.

Despite these setbacks, Imogen was determined to return. In April 2008, she competed at a World Cup event in Slovenia. She showed everyone she was back and ready to compete.

The Olympic Dream: Beijing 2008

In June 2008, Imogen competed at the British Championships. She won first place on vault and floor exercise, and second on balance beam. Her strong performance led to her being chosen as an alternate for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. When a teammate got injured, Imogen joined the Olympic team.

At the Beijing Olympics, Imogen helped the British team finish in ninth place. She also competed in the individual all-around event. After the Olympics, Imogen faced more challenges. She injured both her ankles during vault practice. This was a very serious injury that kept her from training for a long time. She needed several operations and a long recovery period.

A Determined Comeback

Even after such serious injuries, Imogen decided to return to gymnastics in 2009. She said it was "pure determination" that brought her back. She missed the sport that had been her whole life.

In July 2010, Imogen competed at the British Championships again. She won the vault final, showing her incredible comeback. She explained that getting to the Olympics in 2008 wasn't enough; she felt she had more to give. She learned from her successes and setbacks, which helped her mature as an athlete.

Commonwealth Games Glory: Delhi 2010

In October 2010, Imogen competed for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. She helped her team win another silver medal. In the individual all-around final, she placed fourth.

Imogen then won two more gold medals at these Games: one in the vault and another in the floor exercise. Winning these medals meant a lot to her, especially after her ankle injuries. She said the gold medal in vault felt even more special this time.

Later in 2010, Imogen competed at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She also won the vault final at a World Cup event in Germany and placed second at another World Cup event in Glasgow.

Final Olympic Appearance: London 2012

In 2011, Imogen continued to compete strongly. She won first place on vault at the British Championships and helped the British team finish fifth at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo.

In July 2012, Imogen was chosen to represent the United Kingdom at the 2012 Summer Olympics in her home country, London. At the Olympics, she helped the British team achieve a sixth-place finish.

Soon after the 2012 London Olympics, Imogen Cairns retired from elite gymnastics. She had an amazing career, showing incredible skill and determination through many challenges.

Images for kids

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  Imogen Cairns at the 2010 Commonwealth Games