Jake Jarman leaves fans in stitches with ‘top-tier reaction’ upon landing Yonekura vault to win gold at the World Gymnastics Championships

• Jake, 21, from Peterborough, won gold at the World Gymnastics Championships
• READ MORE: Simone Biles becomes the most decorated gymnast in history after sealing her sixth career all-around title at World Gymnastics Championships

Speaking after he won the gold medal in the men’s vault at the World Gymnastics Championships, 21-year-old Jake Jarman said the title meant ‘everything’ to him.

And taking to his Instagram story later in the day, he expressed his own disbelief at being crowned men’s vault champion – before celebrating with a much-deserved slice of pizza.

Jake’s shock at landing the high-difficulty Yonekura vault with precision was illustrated when his jaw dropped as he reached the mat – in a moment that has now gone viral on TikTok.

The Peterborough-born gymnast’s wide-eyed facial expression has left fans in stitches across the platform, who have labelled it the ‘best reaction ever’. 

His gold medal after landing the vault (which no other gymnast in the world is currently performing) comes after he bagged four gold medals at last year’s Commonwealth Games – after first getting into gymnastics when he was scouted in the park.   

After landing the high-difficulty Yonekura vault at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp at the World Gymnastics Championships, British gymnast Jake Jarman looked shocked

Wowing the stadium in Antwerp, Belgium yesterday, Jake earnt Britain’s first gold of the competition by winning the men’s vault final earlier on Sunday to become world champion for the first time in his career.

‘I couldn’t be happier with how today went,’ Jarman said.

‘I was super nervous going into this competition. I don’t know why. I kept telling myself, ‘just enjoy it, just enjoy it, anything can happen’, but I still got nervous.

‘To be able to hold my nerve and be able to produce the vaults I did, I’m super proud.’

The 21-year-old finished ahead of American Khoi Young who took silver to add to his second place in the pommel horse and bronze in the team event.

Following Jake’s gold medal win, his proud father Tony posted a family photo on Instagram of himself with his son and wife, Jake’s mother Ana

Close friend Georgia Dilley posted an Instagram story of herself with Jake, declaring him ‘my champion’

Following his sensational gold medal in Antwerp, Jake celebrated with a well-earnt slice of pizza

‘It feels good. I came in just to have fun, do what I need to do and it turned out alright,’ Young said.

‘I’m so glad to be done. It was a lot of stress, but I’m absolutely happy with how I’ve done. I came in with not many expectations and came out with some medals so of course I’m happy.’

As Jake becomes the only gymnast in the world to land the technically-challenging vault, fans on TikTok have been left in stitches after a slow-motion clip of the performance was shared on the platform.

In the video, which captures Jake face-on, his face lights up with excitement and surprise when he lands the yonekura.

For a brief second, his jaw drops in shock – before he quickly realises what he has achieved and breaks out into a beaming smile.

Responding to the clip, people commented to express their joy at his face of shock.

One person wrote: ‘Loved his face when he nailed the landing.’

Another said: ‘My mouth dropped but his reaction was top tier!’

After yesterday’s sensational win, Jake’s father Tony took to Instagram to declare his pride in his son.

In a sweet snap, Tony put his arm around Jake while the gymnast’s mother Ana stood alongside them with the Union Jack flag painted on her cheek. The caption read: ‘Our boy, the vault world champion.’

Tony and Ana are clearly Jake’s biggest fans, as they were pictured proudly waving the flag of Great Britain in the stands of the Sportpaleis in Antwerp as their son landed the Yonekura.

Meanwhile a close friend, Georgia Dilley, posted a snap of herself with Jake wearing his gold medal on Instagram and declared: ‘My champion.’

Jake’s first foray into gymnastics was at a park in Peterborough, after he’d already experimented with playing football and ice hockey.

In an interview with ITV News after he won four golds at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Jake told of how he was scouted in a park while messing around on the monkey bars. 

He admitted his memory of the event was hazy, but his mother has helped him fill in the gaps.

Jake recalled: ‘I was at my local park, on the monkey bars, doing my thing, one of the local coaches approached my mum and said: ‘You should take your son to gymnastics.’

The 21-year-old gymnast from Peterborough smiled humbly as he was presented with his gold medal 

‘It kind of just progressed from there. I’ve always had a natural love for physical activity and I’ve always had a place in my heart for gymnastics from then on.’

Soon, he joined the Huntingdon Gymnastics Club (where Olympic gold medallist Louis Smith also trained). 

Jake revealed he always looked up to Smith, who has now retired from the sport, while he did routines on the pommel horse – and recalled watching Smith compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tony Jarman, who was an 800m runner in his younger years, has previously revealed that his son was always a very active child, so it’s no wonder that he turned out to be a natural gymnast.

He said of his son: ‘He was always running into things and bouncing off of walls. We tried a lot of things to keep him busy but when his grandpa took him to the local gymnastics club, they saw right away that he was good at it.’

After the Commonwealth Games last year, Tony told the Peterborough Telegraph:

‘He’s such a calm, well thought through and balanced young man.

‘It’s not just the pride of seeing him win four golds but as seeing the was he’s managed himself to deal with all the attention that has come after and the way he has supported his teammates.’

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