Originally, Great Britain was not sending a gymnastics team to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. However, just five weeks before the scheduled start of the competition, they decided to send a women’s team and hastily arranged trials at Stamford Hill, London, and Yorkshire’s Mary Kelly was selected, and was the oldest member of the squad at the age of 29 years and 2 months. The British team faced a daunting task in Berlin as their routine was disrupted by an unruly crowd dissenting at some poor judging decisions, and Great Britain finished last of eight. However, Kelly had the satisfaction of finishing as the second-best British performer behind Mary Heaton.