Blogs
Reflecting on My Journey So Far - Sam Oldham Podcast Episode 127
You can listen to the full episode with Sam Oldham here: https://youtu.be/Zf2C9k_5aQY?si=O_K-Jk3zjTFnr-Ew
Published: 4 August 2025
Read time: 6–7 min read
1-minute summary
I recently sat down with Sam Oldham for Episode 127 of his podcast to reflect on my gymnastics journey so far. We spoke about where it all started for me in Halifax, how I moved through the gymnastics pathway, and some of the key moments that shaped me as an athlete. The episode covers the highs of becoming an Olympic floor finalist, a four-time European champion, and a three-time back-to-back European floor champion, but also the setbacks, injuries, pressure, and challenges that come with competing at the highest level. We also talked about the reality of sponsorship in gymnastics, the importance of proving yourself consistently, and the work that goes into skills like the triple back.
Since recording the episode, I went on to win floor gold at the FISU World University Games, becoming the first British male gymnast to medal at the event. This blog shares my main takeaways from the podcast, along with a few extra reflections from me.
02.10 - Becoming European Champion
Sam opened the podcast by talking through some of my achievements, which still feels a bit surreal to hear out loud. At this point in my career, I can say I’m an Olympic gymnast, an Olympic floor finalist, a four-time European champion, and a three-time back-to-back European floor champion. That is something I am incredibly proud of, but it is also something that has taken years of work, setbacks, patience, and a lot of learning along the way. Winning one European title was special. Retaining it was even bigger. But to win three back-to-back European Floor titles and make history as the first British male gymnast to do that is something I still find hard to fully take in.
05:15 - Proving It Again and Again
One thing we spoke about was the reality of sponsorship and support in gymnastics. In a sport like gymnastics, it is not always enough to just win once. You have to keep proving yourself again and again. You have to show consistency across multiple competitions, multiple years, and under real pressure. That is one of the difficult parts of the sport. You can have a huge result, but people still want to see whether you can back it up. For me, that has always been part of the challenge. I do not just want one good result. I want to keep building, keep improving, and keep showing that I belong at the highest level.
08.15 - Where It All Started
My gymnastics journey started very young.
I first got into gymnastics through Tumble Tots in Halifax, and from there my love for the sport grew. I had my first real taste of gymnastics at Salterhebble when I was around five years old, coached by Andy Butcher, who is still my coach today, alongside Tom Rawlinson and Dave Murray.
Before gymnastics became serious, I was involved in a lot of different sports. Athletics, cross country, tennis, swimming, football, I was always active and always competitive. Eventually, I had to narrow things down, and gymnastics became the sport I wanted to pursue properly. I have also skied since I could walk, so sport has always been a big part of my life. But gymnastics was the one that really stuck.
12.00 - Moving Into Serious Gymnastics
A big turning point came when I moved into a more serious training environment. I started to build a stronger technical base and began competing through the National Development Programme. That gave me a real taste of what higher-level gymnastics looked like. I remember being invited to camp at Lilleshall, which was a big moment at the time. It was the first time I really saw the standard and understood what the pathway could look like.
At that stage, I was still behind a lot of the boys around me. Some had already been training at a higher level for years, so I had a lot of catching up to do.
That was frustrating at times, but it also taught me a lot. I had to develop resilience early. I had to accept that I might not always be the best in the room straight away, but that did not mean I could not get there.
Choosing the Harder Path
I remember being asked whether I wanted to do gymnastics at “Championship level” or “Premier League level”. That question stuck with me. I moved to the Elite Performance Pathway in 2012, and my training hours doubled. That was a big shift. Suddenly it was not just something I did after school. It became a much bigger part of my life.
Learning Through Setbacks
A lot of people only see the medals, the finals, and the big moments. But the reality is that elite sport is full of setbacks. There have been injuries, missed opportunities, selection disappointments, and competitions where things have not gone to plan. At the time, those moments are hard. But they also shape you. You learn to control what you can control. You learn to keep turning up. You learn that progress is not always obvious straight away.
That is something I have carried with me throughout my career. Even when the results have been good, I have always tried to stay hungry and keep improving.
The Influence of Others
Growing up, I looked up to a lot of gymnasts. Seeing people like Nile Wilson, Dan Keatings, Kristian Thomas, Max Whitlock and the British team competing on the biggest stages made a big impact on me. At the time, I probably did not fully understand the level they were at, but I knew it was something I wanted to work towards. As I got older, I started to understand what the top level of the sport really looked like. Watching Olympic finals, World Championships and major competitions gave me a clearer idea of what excellence actually meant. Those gymnasts and that generation helped make it feel possible. Now, being in a position where younger gymnasts might look at my journey in a similar way is something I do not take lightly.
31.15 - The Triple Back and Pushing Difficulty
We also spoke about skills like the triple back and the balance between risk and reward. In gymnastics, especially on floor, difficulty matters. But it has to be controlled. There is no point having a huge skill if you cannot perform it consistently under pressure. That is one of the biggest challenges - knowing when to push, when to upgrade, and when to focus on execution. A skill like the triple back is not just about being brave. It is about preparation, awareness, timing, and being able to repeat it safely and cleanly. That is the side of gymnastics people do not always see. The big skill might last a second, but the preparation behind it takes months and years.
41.25 - A Big Step Forward
Winning the European Floor title in 2023 was a massive moment for me.
It was one of those results that gave me real belief. It showed that I could compete with the best in Europe and win.
That title changed a lot for me mentally. It gave me confidence, but it also raised expectations. Once you win, people expect you to keep performing.
That pressure can be difficult, but it is also a privilege. It means you are in the conversation. It means you have put yourself among the best.
52.50 - Olympic Year
2024 was a huge year. Competing at the Olympics and making the floor final was something I had dreamed about for years. To stand on that stage and represent Great Britain was one of the proudest moments of my career. The Olympic Games are different from anything else. The pressure, the attention, the atmosphere, everything feels bigger. Making an Olympic final showed me that I belonged at that level, but it also made me even more motivated. Once you have experienced that stage, you want to go back better.
1.04.40 - European Title Number Three
Winning my third European Floor title in 2025 was one of the biggest moments of my career so far. Retaining the title once was special. Doing it again and becoming a three-time back-to-back European champion was something I will always be proud of. It was not a perfect build-up. There were injuries, challenges, and moments where I had to manage my body carefully. But that made the result even more meaningful. It showed me that even when things are not perfect, you can still find a way to deliver when it matters.
FISU World University Games
The week after recording the podcast, I competed at the FISU World University Games. Winning gold on floor there was a huge moment. To become the first British male gymnast to win a medal at the Games made it even more special. Competing against athletes like Shinnosuke Oka, the Olympic all-around champion, and coming out on top was something I will never forget.
