The 23-year-old former Chester Queen's School pupil entered the Athens Games with genuine hopes of a medal in the uneven bars after claiming bronze the year before at the world championships and silver at the 2004 European Championships.

However, Tweddle failed to qualify for the final and went home disappointed – but she decided to postpone her plans to quit in 2006 and instead looked towards the 2008 Games and beyond.

Tweddle said: "I didn't get the results I wanted so it was then I decided I wanted to carry on until 2008 because prior to that I was always going to stop in 2006.

"I'd just started getting results and I didn't see the point quitting while I was still at the top and still enjoying it."

Although she is unsure as to when she will call it a day, Tweddle is adamant she will not be competing in front of a home crowd in 2012.

"Definitely not, no," she continued. "We've got the world championships in London next year so I'm thinking that might be my last one but I've not get anything set in stone. I always thought I'd retire in 2006 but I'm still going.

"When I get back I'll drop down from four apparatus to two – bars and floor."

Now the South Africa-born gymnast will look to use the experience she gained in Athens as she looks to compete in the uneven bars, beam, floor and all-round events in Beijing.

"Everyone is always going to do the best performance they can for the Olympics so it was tough competition and I just missed out by one spot for the final," continued Tweddle.

"It's just unfortunate that on the day it didn't go my way so I had to come home and work harder.

"I just know I've got to do as much training as I can and not focus on what is coming up – focus on the present."

The City of Liverpool gymnast believes the Chinese "will be out there
to win every Olympic gold" and she names Anastasia Liukin as one of her main rivals in Beijing where the uneven bars will represent her best chance.

Neither is she daunted by the prospect of performing in front of a patriotic Chinese crowd, saying: "You just have to block that bit out and do what you are there for."

Tweddle also played down an injury to her right ankle which she sustained while training on the beam three weeks ago – despite only being able to train on the bars as a result.

"I've had a few ankle injuries before so it's just a case of having physio, doing lots of exercises and just keeping on top of it.

"I've only been able to train on bars for the past couple of weeks so I've had to do a lot of visualisation with the other apparatus.

"I close my eyes and visualise myself doing the routine. I've had a lot of injuries since I was 13 and it is just what I find helps me."

Tweddle trains for six hours a day with Sundays off and "only" three to four hours on a Thursday under Amanda Kirby, her coach since 1997.

She explained: "We don't do much multi-gym work. It's mainly practising routines over and over again. "Then you do strength work at the beginning and at the end. But it's about four hours of just routines, routines, routines.

"My coach realises I get bored very quickly so every day you have got to do the routine but it will not be just routine after routine, she will maybe split it up into half routines or she will make a challenge of it or else you start again.

"So she tries to make the programme a little bit different – but if you want to be at the top you just have to do routine after routine."

She continued: "I don't know any different and if I'm home all day I get really bored."

Tweddle completed a sports science course at Liverpool John Moores University and is now looking to start her studies in physiotherapy.

What does a day off entail? "I go to the physio, go shopping, catch up with friends, I might go and see my mum and dad – just what a normal person does."

Tweddle moved to Liverpool when she attended university there and she has credited the city – the Capital of Culture – with a key influence on her career.

"Inspirational? Definitely, the council has supported me every step of the way, the gym is council run so without their support I wouldn't have a facility to train in.

"I think it's the support and the network of different sports around the city. There is just a lot of support behind us."