HUNTINGDON gymnast Daniel Keatings sent shockwaves around Europe with his superb performance at the European Championships in Switzerland. Keatings, 18, claimed five medals as he captained Great Britain s juniors to an historic first place ahead of Russia

HUNTINGDON gymnast Daniel Keatings sent shockwaves around Europe with his superb performance at the European Championships in Switzerland.

Keatings, 18, claimed five medals as he captained Great Britain's juniors to an historic first place ahead of Russia and Germany and now looks likely to win a place in the GB Olympic squad.

Competing in Lausanne, Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastics Club member Keatings worked with maturity and stability over six pieces of apparatus to record a points total of 89.75 to take the all-around junior gold.

HOGC and GB coach Paul Hall said: "This performance by the GB teams has shown that we can fight for podium places in the London Olympics.

"Huntingdon has a new junior European all around champion in Daniel Keatings and a squad of gymnasts that can do great things in the next four years.

"Their success is testament to their commitment and the efforts of a great team back at the club."

Keatings proved his ability in Sunday's finals by taking gold on the pommel horse to claim a title formally held by his clubmate Louis Smith.

He also found amazing form on parallel bars, competing the most complex exercise of the competition to take gold and a third junior European title.

Keatings rounded off the success story by leaping to bronze medal position in the floor exercise, behind Christian Bazan of Spain and Eleftherios Kosmidis of Greece, who took gold.

The GB team was also well-represented by Huntingdon junior Sam Oldham who, at 15 years of age, was the youngest member of the squad.

The GB seniors were also in great form, finishing in ninth as a team, two places up from their last performance. HOGC gymnasts Luke Folwell and Louis Smith worked well over the six apparatus, though an uncharacteristic fall from Smith on his specialist pommel horse apparatus saw him miss the final by just a few tenths.

Hall said: "Keatings and Smith now look set for selection to the Beijing Games this summer, where they will fight for a place in the pommel horse final."

INFORMATION: Visit www.british-gymnastics.org