Shantae Amankwaah, a 17-year-old gymnast from Bristol, is set to make her Commonwealth Games debut, aiming to emulate the success of fellow Bristol-born athlete Claudia Fragapane. Amankwaah, the youngest member of Team England's gymnastics squad, will compete in the uneven bars, beam, and floor events.
Amankwaah, who trains at the same Bristol Hawks club where Fragapane began her career, described the opportunity as "surreal." She has long looked up to Fragapane, who achieved breakthrough success at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, winning four gold medals on her debut.
"It's really inspiring, especially because we're from the same place, the same area," Amankwaah told BBC Points West. She was crowned British junior all-around champion in 2024 and recently won bronze in the senior women's all-around discipline at the British Championships.
The Commonwealth Games represent a significant step in Amankwaah's career. Her primary goal is to "take in the whole experience" and enjoy the competition with her team, while acknowledging that a medal would be a welcome achievement. The Commonwealth Games occur every four years.
Fragapane, who retired in 2024, offered advice to Amankwaah, emphasizing the difficulty of making the team and wishing her luck. "She just needs to go out there and really enjoy herself and hold all the memories, because next thing she knows she could be sat here, 12 years later, thinking, 'Wow, where has the time gone?'" Fragapane said.