Tweddle is looking to compete in her third Olympic games in London

Gymnast Beth Tweddle says the lure of competing in the London Olympics persuaded her to stick with the sport.

The 24-year-old former World and European Champion on the uneven bars says the event is to be savoured.

Tweddle, who hails from Liverpool, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "If the Olympics hadn't been in London I would have said goodbye at the end of this year.

"To compete in the Olympics is every athlete's dream, but to have it in your home country is once in a lifetime."

Tweddle has competed in two Olympic Games so far in her career - Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 - where she narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth on the uneven bars.

I have definitely got it in the back of my mind and I'm just working towards it Beth Tweddle

She acknowledges there is a lot of time before the Olympics gets under way, but is firmly focused on competing for medals before she retires.

"Obviously three years is a long time [to wait] but I have definitely got it in the back of my mind and I'm just working towards it," Beth continued.

"We've got the World Championships in London and it would have been a perfect way to retire. So I guess there is that little bit of incentive.

"I took part in the Manchester Commonwealth Games and they did an absolutely fantastic job of that. So we have shown as a country we can do it."

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