Frew in funding limbo

Steve Frew shared gold with a score of 9.462

By Charlie Henderson BBC Sport Online

Steve Frew's first medal at the Commonwealth Games was a long time coming.

The 29-year-old shared gold on the individual rings with Herodotos Giogallas of Cyprus.

Photo gallery: Frew triumphs

It was Scotland's first gymnastics gold and came at the fourth attempt for Frew who first competed in the Games in 1990.

Honours even on the rings

The Alloa gymnast described it as "the best moment of my life".

But the Scot had extra satisfaction in victory as his first major title came without any funding support.

This is the pinnacle of my career so perhaps I will retire

Steve Frew

"I was hoping to get a bronze here so I could say to funding bodies this is what I can achieve with no funding," he said of his ambitions coming into the Games.

Having surpassed those initial aims his career now stands at a crossroads.

Frew's plan was to retire but he may now decide to wait and see if any monetary support is forthcoming before calling it a day.

"I've been doing gymnastics for 20 years and it has taken a long time but we got there in the end," he said of his win.

"Winning a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle of my career so perhaps I will retire.

"But funding would help keep me in the sport."

It would be a shame to retire now as I'm in the best shape of my life

Steve Frew

Frew failed to win any funding after injury kept him out of competition for a year and his training regime would amaze any of his fellow medallists in Manchester.

He works as a personal trainer and only finds time for nine hours of gym work a week - the sort of time any of his fellow winners would spend on conditioning.

When not in the gym he maintains his fitness with weights.

"I have to work for the rest of the time but it would be a shame to retire now as I'm in the best shape of my life."