British gymnasts don't fare too much in Olympic competition against the Americans, the Romanians, the Chinese, and the Russians. That means most gymnastic fans outside Britain know about Becky Downie.
She has won the gold medal in the uneven-bars competition at the European Championships, first in Sofia in 2014 and then in Bern in 2016. She also won the gold medal in the uneven bars and the team gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Although Ms. Downie has never been an Olympic champion, she has been given a medal considered more prestigious in the U.K. - a medal as a Member of the Order of the British Empire, the same award the Beatles got in 1965. And even thought the British Empire today is currently down to Bermuda, a few islands in the Caribbean, and the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, it's still a big deal.
Fun fact: Ms. Downie's sister Ellie is also a gymnast and has also been given an MBE medal.
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