Lewis Gosling: GB's Only Male DMT World Gold Medalist On Injuries, Medals and Mindset

ABOUT THE EPISODE:

Host Winston Powell sits down with Lewis Gosling, the only British male DMT athlete to win a World gold medal, plus double World bronze medalist and 2022 European individual silver medalist. Lewis walks through his journey from watching Beijing 2008 as a five year old, to picking DMT over artistic in 2016, to becoming one of GB's most decorated DMT athletes despite a run of major injuries doctors said would end his career.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Lewis started gymnastics in 2008 after watching Beijing on TV and just wanting to learn a backflip as a football celebration.

He and teammate Omo both went from their first ever DMT competition to a World Age Group Championships within five contests, an unusually fast rise.

His 2022 European silver came off the back of a stress fracture through most of his pelvis, with only around two and a half weeks of DMT training to prep.

Winning World Team gold at the 2022 all around final made Lewis the only British male DMT athlete ever to win a World title, even if he personally felt he underperformed on the day.

Birmingham 2023 Worlds delivered two team bronze medals in front of a home crowd, a competition Lewis rates as one of his favourites of his career.

A dislocated ankle, seven ruptured ligaments, and a Lisfranc injury in 2024 could have ended his career. Nine months out later, his body healed in ways doctors could not explain, hence the medical mystery.

Lewis approaches team finals as a completely different competitor to individual finals, more locked in and closed off in team, more relaxed and enjoyment led in individual.

Bigger picture, DMT is growing but still needs better visibility, better broadcast quality, and free access to live streams if it is to reach the audience it deserves.

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