By Mike Rowbottom

Louis Smith, seen showing off his London 2012 silver in the Pommel Horse, will make his international return at the Glasgow 2014 Games after takiing a year off ©AFP/Getty ImagesTriple Olympic medallist Louis Smith, who failed to get a place in Britain's team for the European Championships last month, has been named in the England team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which start next month.


The 25-year-old from Eye in Cambridgeshire, who had tweeted that his omission from the European Championship was to do with "politics", responded to today's news that he was included in the 13-strong group heading for Glasgow by saying he was "over the moon".

Smith returned to training in January after a year in which, among other things, he won the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing title in partnership with Flavia Cacace, and won £50,000 ($85,000/€63,000) on the ITV game show The Cube, which he donated to his gym in Huntingdon.

When he failed to make the trip for last year's Europeans, he tweeted: "If only it was because I wasn't good enough #politics. Now I remember why I needed a break."

Britain's head coach Eddie van Hoof denied Smith's suggestion, adding: "It's not a political decision.

"It's purely on performances."

But upon learning he would be competing alongside the newly established European champion Max Whitlock in a 13-strong team, Smith responded:  "I'm over the moon to have been selected for the Commonwealth team.

"This is something I've worked so hard towards since the end of last year and it's testament to my coach and everyone around me who have given me the support to get to this point.

"The Commonwealth Games is such an amazing competition and I can't wait to be a part of it again.

"To have another chance to compete in a major championships on home soil is something I'm really looking forward to. I'm absolutely buzzing to be competing at the top again, to be joining the boys as part of the team again, and I can't wait to get back out there and represent Team England at the Games."

Max Whitlock (left) shakes hands with Britain team-mate Louis Smith after they have taken respective bronze and silver in the pommel horse at the London 2012 Games. Both are named in the England team for next month's Glasgow Commonwealth Games ©AFP/Getty ImagesMax Whitlock (left) shakes hands with Britain team-mate Louis Smith after they have taken respective bronze and silver in the pommel horse at the London 2012 Games. Both are named in the England team for next month's Glasgow Commonwealth Games ©AFP/Getty Images

Whitlock won European gold in Sofia last month as he beat the Olympic pommel horse champion, Krisztian Berki of Hungary, whose performance on that piece of apparatus during the last Games pushed Smith down to the silver medal place.

Whitlock was bronze medallist in the London 2012 pommel horse.

"I'm really looking forward to the 2014 Commonwealth Games and comparing it to Delhi in 2010 where I took home three medals," said Whitlock.

"There's always expectation going into a major competition but I try to look at each one in the same way and perform as best I can.

"Everything comes down to getting that clean routine on the day but I'm training hard and hopeful that Team England will achieve great things in Glasgow."

The men's team also includes the Olympic medallists Kristian Thomas and Sam Oldham, plus 18-year-old Nile Wilson, the five-times junior European champion.

The women's artistic team is led by Rebecca Downie, a European champion and double Commonwealth Games medallist, who is joined by three of the 2014 European silver medal-winning team - Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold and Hannah Whelan - with Kelly Simm taking the final position.

Stephani Sherlock, Mimi-Isabella Cesar and Lynne Hutchinson will all compete in the rhythmic gymnastics competition.

To see full team, click here

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