My fears are over, says Sheffield's Olympic star Bryony Page

Page did not expect to win a medal in Rio but produced a stunning performance in the final and was only edged into second place by Canada’s defending champion Rosie MacLennan.

Now Page has the rest of her career in front of her and only positive thoughts in her head.

“I’ve achieved my ultimate dream by winning an Olympic medal, meaning I don’t have the pressure of not reaching my potential,” Page said.

“I always had a fear of being a girl who could do it, but never did.

“I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am now free to be able to push myself to my limits even more.”

Page studied biology at the University of Sheffield - her dissertation was on sounds made by dinosaurs - and graduated in 2015 with a first-class honours degree after which she concentrated full-time on trampolining.

She returned to the university on Tuesday to present awards to athletes on the elite sports performance scheme and afterwards explained how she aims to remain firmly grounded.

“Pressure is something that you can put on yourself - others might try - but as long as you know your targets, it should keep you on the right path,” she said.

“The natural progression is to win a gold medal in Tokyo, but for me four years is a long time and my target is to push myself forwards whether that is a target, a score, or how I feel.

“I’d love to get a medal in 2020.”

It has been a hectic few months for 25-year-old Page since returning from Rio, where Team GB plundered a record haul of 67 medals, surpassing the 65 won at London 2012.

The biggest challenge was in September when she had an ankle operation on an impingement injury she has had for six years.

“We knew the operation was going to happen post-Games, but we needed to focus on the Olympics.

“That’s why in the final I wanted to produce my best, the routine I knew I could do, as I knew I was going to have months out. It was my last chance.

“Now I am doing rehab training which has come at a good time as I have been distracted from not being able to jump on a trampoline.”

Page is expected to get back to full training on the trampoline in January but, for now, she is enjoying fulfilling her long-term aim of encouraging others to take up the sport.

“It is the sport I love and am passionate about and so trying to get more people involved is what it is all about, to inspire a generation.”