British teen sensation Oppon eyes world gold

LONDON - Naana Oppon, the newly-crowned British tumbling champion at the age of 16, heads to the Trampolining World Championships this week confident of winning a medal and encouraging more "black or girls of colour" to take up the sport.

The engaging Oppon says she "loves seeing the world upside down" as she jumps and twists down the 25-metre track with only her hands and feet allowed to touch the surface.

"As much as you have to stay focused there is also a sense of freedom and it is great fun," she told AFP in a Zoom interview.

"It comes with a lot of skills. It is a very power-based sport and that was what drew me in."

Oppon says she was a "very active girl" and aged four took up tumbling, a trampoline gymnastics discipline that falls under the aegis of the International Gymnastics Federation.

Her progress has been so swift that she has been described by coaches as the sport's Usain Bolt and compared to American gymnastics superstar Biles.

Not surprisingly she identifies strongly with the American four-time Olympic gold medallist and says she "absolutely" hopes she can be as inspirational as Biles.

"In the gym, people doing tumbling specifically do not look like me, either black or people of colour. The way Biles carries herself has been a big inspiration," Oppon said.

"I think I have already definitely inspired the black community and people of colour to try tumbling out.

"Anyone can join."

Oppon accepts she could inspire even more to take it up if she were to win a medal at the world championships which take place in the English city of Birmingham from Thursday to Sunday.

"I do definitely think it's realistic to win a medal in the team or individual," she said.

"It would mean a lot to win a medal as it means all the hard work and sacrifices made by me and my family were worthwhile."