European Championships Munich 2022: GB's Joe Fraser wins landmark all-around gold
- Published
Watch: Fraser becomes GB's first ever male European all-around gymnastics champion
Joe Fraser became the first British man to win a European all-around title with a superb performance in Munich.
Fraser, who has been hindered by ankle and appendix problems this year, began with a below-par floor routine.
However, the 23-year-old topped the pommel and parallel bars standings as he quickly got up to speed.
Requiring 13.266 on the high bar - his final apparatus - to take gold, Fraser soared through a high-risk routine to earn 13.700 and victory.
Fraser was congratulated by his British team-mates after his final score was announced
As his score was announced, Fraser was engulfed in the embraces of team-mates Courtney Tulloch and Giarnni Regini-Moran.
Fraser finished on a score of 85.565, ahead of Turkish pair Ahmet Onder and Adem Asil on 85.131 and 84.465 respectively.
Jake Jarman was the next-best Briton in eighth.
"It is a dream come true," said Fraser.
"Me, my coach and my team have had a lot of obstacles along the way, so being here alone is an achievement in itself."
Fraser's victory follows continental near-misses and silver medals for compatriots Dan Keatings and Max Whitlock in 2009 and 2013 respectively.
Ellie Downie became the first British gymnast to win an all-around title at a major championship when she took European gold in 2017.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read and before accepting. To view this content choose 鈥榓ccept and continue鈥.
Fraser was prevented from competing in the all-around at his hometown Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July after fracturing his foot a fortnight before their start.
However, while team-mate Jarman took that title, Fraser contributed to team gold and took pommel and parallel bars titles.
Great Britain look well set to add European gold to that success as they qualified top, nearly three points clear of second-placed Turkey, for Saturday's team final.
There will be plenty of possibilities for British individual apparatus titles as well.
Regini-Moran qualified for the final on the floor, vault and parallel bars, while Tulloch will compete on the rings and in the vault.
Jarman qualified fourth best on the floor, while James Hall made the high bar final.
Fraser already has major medals in his two disciplines with world gold in the parallel bars from 2019 and a 2021 European bronze on pommel.
Ireland's Rhys McClenaghan will not be among Fraser's competition in the latter.
Competing earlier in the day, the 23-year-old defending champion scored 14.200 to end up ninth, just outside the cut-off.
Can England's Euro 2022 win provide real change for the women's game? The Sports Desk investigates
The Fab Four's story in their own words: Listen to deeply personal interviews with members of The Beatles spanning 48 years
