Maidstone Olympian says this years games could be one of his last
Born in Australia but moved to Kent as a toddler, Hall has represented Team GB and England at international competitions and won a total of 10 medals, including a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
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00:00 Born in Australia, but made an Olympian in Maidstone.
00:08 This year, James Hall is hoping to take part in his second Olympic Games as part of Team
00:12 GB's men's artistic gymnastics squad.
00:15 It comes after he helped the country qualify for the Games back in 2022.
00:19 However, he says this year's Olympics could be his last.
00:22 I think from a lengthy career I've managed to garner quite a lot of experience and over
00:28 the years it's kind of helped me keep a cool head.
00:30 It will be full on, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
00:34 I think this will probably be one of the last years of my career.
00:37 Getting a bit old now, but the body's starting to feel it.
00:41 I'm ready for the challenge and I think as you get a little bit older you think, you
00:45 know what, this is less about just making a team, but fulfilling my potential, whatever
00:49 that may be, and giving it my all.
00:51 James spoke to me just before a midweek training session at his home club, Pegasus.
00:56 For an onlooker, it was incredible to see the sheer potential of the unassisted human
01:01 body at peak fitness.
01:02 For James, however, every one of these sessions means mastering the routine that will secure
01:07 his spot on the squad in Paris.
01:10 Gymnastics isn't just a sport or a hobby, it's a lifestyle.
01:13 It's kind of one of those things that as soon as you finish a session you can't just switch
01:16 off.
01:17 You go home, you think about it and we're into the competition season now and that means
01:21 practising your routines that you do for the competition.
01:23 Even at the moment they're a little bit rough around the edges, we've still got time.
01:27 So any repairs that need doing or bits that need working on.
01:31 Lots of flying around bars and somersaults.
01:35 James first arrived at the club at the tender age of just six in 2002 and almost 20 years
01:41 on made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
01:45 It's safe to say that he's become a staple of the club's family.
01:50 I ended up working with James from the age of seven, it was 2002.
01:55 He was a youngster, full of enthusiasm, full of beans.
01:59 The work we've done together, especially James, he's been a role model to not just coaches
02:05 around here, the club, to members, to all the youngsters and indirectly and sometimes
02:12 directly he's coaching them and mentoring them and he's a very positive influence on
02:16 everyone.
02:17 So with the hope of an Olympic summer ahead of him, James Hall will have to stretch, spin
02:22 and somersault to the best of his abilities in order to make his Olympic dream come true.
02:27 Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Maidstone.
02:30 (thunder)