SCOT Daniel Purvis will be in action at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow this morning.
The Great Britain men’s team is competing in the opening qualification session at the SSE Hydro with the goal of making the top eight – and securing a spot for the Olympic Games in Rio next summer.
As a strong all-rounder Purvis – one of the Sunday Herald’s Six To Follow to Rio – will be a key player in making that ambition become reality.
The 24-year-old is part of the British team alongside reigning European pommel horse champion Louis Smith, world all-around silver medallist Max Whitlock and European floor champion Kristian Thomas.
The six-strong squad also includes five-time European junior champion Nile Wilson and European Games bronze medallist Brinn Bevan.
Purvis helped Scotland to team silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, going on to win gold on parallel bars and bronze on rings.
He was part of the Team GB side – with Smith, Whitlock, Thomas and Sam Oldham – that claimed a historic bronze at London 2012.
Glasgow marks his sixth world championships to date for Purvis. He took all-around bronze at the 2015 European Gymnastics Championships in Montpellier earlier this year.
While Purvis has aspirations to make the individual all-around final as well as apparatus finals on floor and parallel bars, he thrives on the team camaraderie.
“I am more confident with everyone behind me,” he said. “You can hear your team shouting for you and that’s a lot more enjoyable.
“Even in my routines I try to think of a key word that someone is saying and it helps me stay on the apparatus. Everyone has their own different ways to think about it, but having the team there really does help me.”
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