Who are the Gadirova twins? Meet Team GB stars Jessica and Jennifer
DESPITE the possibility of twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova missing the 2024 Paris Olympics, there is still huge interest around the athletic pair.
They have been on the circuit for several years now yet there was hope that they would qualify for Team GB.
Who are Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova?
Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova were born in Dublin on October 3, 2004, making them 19 years old.
The English artistic gymnasts are of Irish and Azerbaijani descent, representing Great Britain internationally.
The pair took up gymmnastics at the age of six as their mother sought an outlet for their energy.
Will Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova compete at the 2024 Olympics?
It appears increasingly unlikely the 19-year-old tumblers will be involved in the French capital in four months’ time as they are currently in rehab and not yet back to competition.
Jessica, the 2022 world floor champion suffered a freak “full tear to my ACL” that has sidelined her since last October and required knee surgery before Christmas.
There’s a slight chance that if she achieves apparatus readiness by June or July, she could be brought in as a last-minute substitute for the artistic gymnastics team.
Meanwhile, Jennifer had surgery on her ankle this year, which has caused her long-term discomfort.
During an interview with SunSport, Jessica said: “It happened during a warm-up. I just did a simple drill. Unfortunately it just happened.
“From October to December, I did a lot of prehab around the knee to make it as strong as possible before going into surgery.
“I’ve got a massive, long journey ahead of me. Now it’s all rehab. It’s looking good but obviously the journey is very long with an ACL. I’m not putting a goal or a date on the end.
“There are going to be ups and downs along the journey.
“We aren’t looking at this Olympics, we’re looking at more Olympics ahead. We’re still young, we’ll recover.
“We have been supporting each other massively through the highs and the lows, especially as we’re at a low point at the moment.
“But at least we’re both going through it together, so we can support one other the best that we can.
“We know that we just have to recover our bodies and we’ll get there one day. It’s only a little bump in the road. It’s difficult but it also gives us the fire in our bellies.”
The pair have undergone rehabilitation, incorporating specialist physiotherapy and medical support at the National Lottery-funded Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.
Jennifer said: “My rehab is taking a little bit longer than expected.
“It’s a six-to-eight week recovery. I’m slowly building back. But I haven’t officially been signed off yet.
“Yes, we’d love to go to the Olympics. We’ve already done one Olympics before so deep down, we don’t feel like we’re 100% missing out.
“We’re already Olympians. We’re already Olympic bronze medallists. That’s a great achievement already.
“Missing this one, yes it’s really gutting, but we’re still young and have a bright future ahead of us.
“We’re so close, it’s amazing to have a twin sister being in the same sport, going through the same issues. It’s just really helpful to push through.
“Like Jess, I’m not putting a time frame or a limit to it. I’m focused on making my ankle as strong as it can possibly be, so the issue doesn’t happen again.”
Where have Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova competed?
The sisters competed for Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics, securing a bronze medal in the team event.
They were also members of the team that won silver at the 2022 World Championships and gold at the 2023 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
Jessica became the 2022 World champion in the floor exercise, making her the second British female and the third British gymnast to secure a world title in this apparatus.
She is also a three-time European champion in the same event having won in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The Olympian became the first female gymnast to secure three consecutive floor titles at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and the first gymnast of any gender to achieve this feat since Franco Menichelli in 1965.
On top of all her achievements, she is the 2023 European all-around champion.
Gadirova was the first female gymnast since Romania’s Cătălina Ponor in 2004 to clinch three gold medals at the same European Championships, and the first since Russia’s Svetlana Khorkina in 2002 to capture the all-around title in the process.
Her sibling has equally impressive wins under her belt.
Jennifer competed for Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics, securing a bronze medal in the team event.
She was a key member of the Great Britain squad that achieved their best-ever result with a silver medal in the team event at the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and at the 2022 European Championships.
Competing at the 2019 Junior World Championships, she won a silver medal in the vault final.
The somersaulting sisters both competed at the 2019 inaugural event.
Are Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova on Instagram?
The Olympic medallists can be found @gadirova_twins.
They often share posts of their training routines and events they’re attending.