By Nick Butler at the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow

England dominated to win double gold in the gymnastics team events ©Getty ImagesEngland scooped Commonwealth Games victories in both the men and women's team finals here today on an opening day of artistic gymnastics medal action dominated by the British nations.


In front of a lively and knowledgeable crowd, who seemed delighted by the strong performances by the British athletes, there was a sense of inevitably as the English team vaulted, flipped and swung the way to a double victory.

It is remarkable to think that Britain was once a complete minnow in the sport, who failed to win an Olympic medal for 80 years between Amsterdam 1928 and Beijing 2008, until Louis Smith broke that trend with a pommel horse bronze.

With Smith back at the helm following a period out of the sport after London 2012, the England men's team - which also consisted of Sam Oldham, Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock and Nile Wilson - dominated the competition by posting the top scores in four of the six disciplines, and placing second in the other two.

This gave them a total of 266.804 points, comfortably clear of the chasing pack.

In second place was a Scottish team containing established British team members Daniel Keatings and Dan Purvis. 

They posted 257.603, to finish almost five points clear of bronze medal winners Canada. 

The only downside from an England perspective was the injury sustained by Oldham after he fell in the vault, which caused him to miss the final two routines and be carried onto the podium by his team mates, after first hobbling into the arena on crutches. 

England's Sam Oldham was helped onto the podium by his team mates in order to be awarded his gold medal ©Getty ImagesEngland's Sam Oldham was helped onto the podium by his team mates in order to be awarded his gold medal ©Getty Images





In the women's event, held alongside the men's competition, but, unlike the male version, not over as a contest until the final rotation of the evening, Rebecca Downie, Claudia Fragapane, Ruby Harrold, Hannah Whelan and Kelly Simm were just as dominant.

They finished on a total of 167.555, after increasing their gap to second-placed Australia when their opponents committed several costly errors on both the floor and beam.

This put them on 161.646, still enough to push Wales into third, as Scotland disappointed the home crowd by finishing down in fifth position behind Canada, who proved markedly less successful than in the rhythmic competition.

It was England's first victory in the event since Victoria 1994, while it also marked the first occasion that Canada had not featured on the podium. 

More medals are likely to be won by the England team as the individual apparatus finals begin in earnest tomorrow. 

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