THE London Open was the second Commonwealth Games qualifier on the calendar for me.

It was also the final trial for the British gymnasts trying to qualify for the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, which get under way tomorrow.

In the run-up to the competition earlier this month, training had been going well, my routines had run smoothly and I was feeling well prepared. I went in with my eyes firmly fixed on getting the remaining scores I needed to qualify for the Games. But it was not my day: with a few critical, painful falls, my scores took a nose-dive compared to previous competitions since my return to the sport.

I always feel gut-wrenching disappointment when I don't compete as well as I know I can. It is infuriating: all the hard work you have put in over the weeks and months can be undone in just a few seconds.

Yet, after you've had time to calm down, you realise it's not the end of the world. In my case it will actually benefit me in the long term. Every competition adds experience: clearly I had a few tough lessons to re-learn. I still have more than nine months to prepare for Glasgow 2014 and remain in a strong position to fight for my place in the team.

I was not the only gymnast to be disappointed in London. Some of my fellow athletes preparing for the World Championships had a bad day at the office too. For them, however, it was the last-chance saloon. Mistakes were costly, dreams were realised for some and crushed for others as selection was decided.

The British men's squad, after taking bronze at the Olympics in the team event, is now at the forefront of gymnastics and there are many talented, hard-working athletes who did not quite make the cut.

But the team heading to Antwerp is an incredibly strong one. Double Olympic medallist Max Whitlock will be looking for success in the all-around event with Scot Daniel Purvis. For either to become champion, however, they will have to beat one of the greatest gymnasts of all time: Kohei Uchimura, right.

The Japanese has five Olympic and nine world medals and is unbeaten all-round in a World Championships since 2009. Whitlock will have an eye on gold on pommel horse but will have his work cut out with Hungary's Krisztian Berki, the current world and Olympic champion, fighting off his younger challengers.

Scotland's Daniel Keatings will be looking to continue his success on pommel horse after taking the British and European titles earlier in the year. Kristian Thomas will be hoping to shine on vault and, having two very high difficulty tariffs, aiming for at least a place in the final.

Sam Oldham will focus on floor and rings, while Ashley Watson, the only team member not to compete at the 2012 Olympics, will chase a solid performance on high bar to put him in the final. This will be Watson's first World Championships but, after making a final this summer at the European Championships, he's shown he can perform at big events.

He will be up against the fearless "Flying Dutchman" Epke Zonderland, who took the Olympic title in London. Zonderland will be performing a routine we mere mortals can only dream of, with four of the highest difficulty release and catch skills.

The British women's side, meanwhile, go into the world championships bolstered by experienced Olympians Hannah Whelan, Rebecca Tunney and Rebecca Downie. Whelan is a two-time European bronze medallist and will hoping to elevate that to a result on a world stage.

Downie finished 12th all-around at the 2008 Olympics and will be in a strong position to make the final in Antwerp, while 16-year-old Rebecca Tunney will be looking forward to her first worlds. Ruby Harold is the final member of the team and, having made three finals at 2013 Europeans Championships, is in good shape.

The World Championships will be the first time since the Olympics that the best in the sport have gathered in one place. This is a time for younger gymnasts to step up to the plate and show what they can do. Experienced gymnasts will be trying to keep these youngsters in line by performing new skills they have been working on since the Games. I look forward to seeing who will come out on top.

Gymnast Adam Cox is a junior world and Commonwealth Games medallist. The reigning Scottish senior all-around champion, he will be charting his journey to Glasgow 2014 in the Sunday Herald.