Monkey games a thing of past for Jake the history-maker

Jarman lives up to billing with fourth gold

- Matt Majendie

WHEN Jake Jarman rang his biggest fan, his grandmother, after his initial golds, she was so excited he struggled to understand her.

Having won a fourth gymnastics title of these Commonwealth Games, one suspects Sheila was totally overcome with emotion last night.

Jarman's success on the vault made him the first Englishman to win four golds in the sport in one Games, eclipsing the three achieved by Max Whitlock in 2014, a Games where Claudia Fragapane came away with a quartet of titles.

With his parents often working, his nan would drive him to and from gymnastics training each day and sit in the stands watching him.

"I spoke to her on the phone the other day and she was over the moon," said the 20-year-old. "I've never heard her so excited I was struggling to make out some of the words she was saying to be honest."

A raft of not just English but British gold medallists has been unearthed using talent ID programmes.