HALESOWEN'S very own gymnastics superstar Dom Cunningham has returned from Glasgow as a European champion, but he’s hungry for more success at the Gymnastics World Cup, which returns to Birmingham next year.

Cunningham, who trains at the City of Birmingham Gymnastics Club but originally hails from Halesowen, was in Birmingham today to help launch next year’s World Cup.

The highly-anticipated event will take place in the city next March at the Genting Arena, and buoyed by his success in Glasgow where he took gold in the floor event, Cunningham is looking to improve on his fourth place finish behind fellow Englishman James Hall at this year’s event.

The 23 year-old said: “To have the World Cup back in Birmingham and for people to get the chance to see some of the best gymnasts in the world going head to head again is huge for gymnastics in the city and the Midlands."

The decision to return to Birmingham follows the success of the World Cup last March and with less than four years to go before Birmingham hosts the Commonwealth Games, where gymnastics will be one of the most eagerly anticipated sports, the Midlands is quickly gaining a reputation as the UK’s home for the sport’s major events.

“Taking part in this year’s World Cup in front of my home crowd is something I will never forget and it gave me the confidence to go on and perform at the Commonwealth Games and at the European Championships," he added. "I want to experience it again and improve on my fourth place this year, and following my performance last weekend, I think I’m in the best place to do just that.”

Next year’s event will have a new format meaning fans will get the chance to see the men and the women on the same day. The event will now take place on a Saturday - with the men’s competition in the afternoon and the women’s event in the evening.

The Birmingham event is part of the World Cup series, which takes place every year with four events staged in four different countries. Nine gymnasts from the world’s leading nations compete for their country in both the men’s and women’s competition. The men will battle it out on the floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar whilst the women will show their skills on the vault, uneven bars, beam and the floor.

For tickets and more information visit gymnasticsworldcup.co.uk