Sutton School of Gymnastics star Ross Brewer has admitted quitting the sport and passing-up a last shot at reaching an Olympic Games was the hardest decision he has had to make.

The 30-year-old athlete brought the curtain down on his ten-year international career in January after his coach Simon Moore left Sutton to join rival club Leatherhead & Dorking.

It means the Wallington-based accountant will sit out his first World Championships in ten-years when the event kicks-off at London’s O2 Arena next week - the venue where the 2012 Olympic competition will be held.

Brewer, a four-time British overall champion and ex-captain of the British team, won Commonwealth team gold in Manchester and had hoped to appear in a major championship on home soil at least one more time.

And he admits he is more than a little jealous of the current stars of the current British team, such as 2006 world asymmetric bars champion Beth Tweddle, Daniel Keatings and Louis Smith “It wasn’t an easy decision to make. I was hoping to carry on until 2012, but once Simon moved the extra travel time was prohibitive, particularly when I’ve just become a dad and I’ve got a full-time job,” he said.

“The time was right. I’m getting on a bit in terms of gymnastics. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved and winning the Commonwealth gold was the highlight. It is a unique experience to do something like that on your own soil.

“It is the first world championships I’m going to miss since I started competing internationally. Having captained the team for so long I still very attached to these athletes. I’ve seen them grow up and I’d have loved to have been out there.”

Britain have a strong 10-man squad starting next week’s event, which is a test run for the 2012 Games and is also part of the qualifying process for the London Olympics.

Tweddle, 24, added European asymmetric bars and floor gold to her haul in April, while both Smith and Keatings medalled in Beijing last year, and Brewer believes the team is in good shape.

“We have a strong team and hopefully they can get the result they need. This the first step on the road to 2012 and it is important they get off to a good start,” he added.

“It is going to be a good experience for them and they are only going to get better during the course of this Olympic cycle.”

Brewer may have never competed in an Olympics as a gymnast, but he hasn’t ruled out making an appearance at the London Games - as a judge.

“I’ve recently qualified. It is good to put something back into a sport that has given me so much,” he said.

“Because we are hosting they are going to need a lot more officials, so I’m hoping I’ll be qualified highly enough by then to play some part.”

Ross would like to thank forgoodnessshakes.co.uk and Carshalton Osteopathic Surgery for their support throughout his career.

Tickets for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at the London O2 Arena next week are still available from worldgymnastics2009.com or call 0844 856 0202.