Tweddle pulls out of beam & vault

Tweddle also injured an ankle in training last month

Great Britain gymnast Beth Tweddle has been forced to withdraw from the beam and vault competitions at the Beijing Olympics because of a rib injury.

But the 23-year-old is hopeful she can compete in the floor and bars events.

GB coach Adrian Stan had told BBC Radio 5 Live that the 23-year-old's injury was "minor but unsettling".

Tweddle will stay back at the team's training camp in Macau in order to treat the injury before rejoining her colleagues in Beijing on Monday.

Earlier in the week, Stan told BBC Radio 5 Live's Philip Studd that Tweddle had been finding training difficult since Tuesday.

"She will spend an extra three days on the island where she can use softer mats before she rejoins her colleagues in Beijing on Monday," he said.

Studd said the injury was clearly hampering Tweddle's preparations after a frustrating year in which she has been troubled by ankle problems.

Tweddle injured an ankle in training last month, meaning she was unable to defend her all-around title at the National Championships.

But she played down concerns over that injury and insisted she was confident of being fit for the start of the Games.

"The ankle's getting there," she said.

"Obviously the doctors and physios are keeping a close eye on me and my personal coach is just making sure everything is staying in place.

"I haven't changed my training preparation since I've come here, I've just kept with what I was doing at home. I'm happy with how it's progressing and hopefully I'll be fully fit."

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A former world and European uneven bars champion, Tweddle was also the first British women to win a World Championship gold medal when she won on the asymmetric bars in Denmark in 2006.

The Games in China are likely to be Tweddle's last and she is hoping to win a medal to end on a high.

"A medal of any colour would be the icing on the cake for me," she said.

"That's my ultimate goal, but if I don't achieve that I won't look back and regret it over my whole career.

"Anything is possible. All the teams are so close, it's all about what we can do on the day. We've got good depth and strength in our team."

She added: "I'd love to go to a home Games. I did the Commonwealths in Manchester, but I think my body is going to be too old for 2012.

"I'll have to leave it to the younger members of the team. There are a lot of kids out there that are looking promising."