Britain sends its strongest gymnastics squad in decades, starring Louis Smith (left) and Daniel Keatings, to compete at the first World Championships on home soil for 16 years, in London from 13-18 October
Nineteen-year old Keatings, from Northamptonshire, competes in the all-around and pommel horse events. His silver at this year's European Championships was Britain's first all-around medal at a major tournament
Former X Factor contestant Smith, 20, from Peterborough, became a face of GB at the Beijing Games when he won Britain's first individual Olympic medal in gymnastics - a bronze in the pommel horse - in a century
Despite Smith's success, Liverpudlian Beth Tweddle remains Britain's best-known gymnast. The 2006 World Champion, born in South Africa, has been to two Olympics but may not stay on for London 2012
Much could depend on how Tweddle, now 24, performs at this year's Worlds, at London's O2 Arena. This year, she has been in fine form in both the uneven bars and the floor event
Becky Downie, 17 and fresh from completing her GCSEs, is the current British champion and, potentially, the successor to Tweddle as Britain's leading female gymnast
Downie, from Nottingham, competed alongside Tweddle at the 2008 Olympics, finishing 12th in the all-around, and will be keen to progress from British titles to victory in international events
Downie, Tweddle and their GB team-mates face a weakened field - US stars Nastia Liukin (left) and Shawn Johnson (right) decided to pursue interests away from gymnastics this year, having dominated in Beijing
The absence of other contenders, such as injured Romanian star Sandra Izbasa and a number of China's Olympic medallists, also hands the likes of Australia's Lauren Mitchell (above) an opportunity
Fabian Hambuechen, much-loved former sports personality of the year in Germany, was favourite for all-around gold in London before a training accident on Sunday saw him ruled out with a foot ligament injury
However, many of the world's very top gymnasts will still compete, including North Korea's Hong Un Jong, who won gold in the women's vault in Beijing
Brazil's Diego Hypolito, world champion in the floor event, is one of the more spectacular competitors challenging the British men for honours
And Hungary's Krisztian Berki is the man who may deprive home favourite Louis Smith of the pommel horse title, having won silver ahead of Smith in the same event two years ago
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