OLYMPIC bronze medallist Amy Tinkler has joined South Essex Gymnastics Club.

Tinkler made history in Rio last summer as she became the first British woman to ever come away with a medal in the gymnastics floor exercise.

The 17-year-old also became the country’s youngest athlete to win an Olympic medal in 32 years.

South Essex Gymnastics Club director of coaching Scott Hann was delighted to welcome Tinkler, who will work directly under new women’s artistic head coach Ross Falsetta.

“It is a great opportunity for Amy and the club to build on the great success she has already had,” said Hann.

“Our women’s artistic section continues to go from strength to strength and having a gymnast of Amy’s quality in our gym will only help with that.”

Tinkler is joining an impressive international stable at the Basildon-based gymnastics club, which already boasts double Olympic champion Max Whitlock, British duo Brinn Bevan and Jay Thompson, and Jamaican star Reiss Beckford.

The Olympian, who is from the town of Bishop Auckland in County Durham, has progressed through the junior ranks at the Spennymoor-based South Durham Gymnastics Club.

Hann added: “What Amy achieved at South Durham is remarkable and their coaches did an amazing job.

“She is still young and has lots of potential to fulfil so we hope she can now do that here at South Essex.”

Tinkler is currently representing Great Britain in the 2017 American Cup at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey.

South Essex’s newest star, who also won team bronze at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow, will compete with USA’s Ragan Smith and Riley McCusker and Japan’s Asuka Teramoto.