Max Whitlock knocked off final Olympic podium by Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan and ‘Pommel Horse Guy’

An emotional Max Whitlock held again the tears after he was unable to log out his adorned gymnastics profession with a fourth consecutive Olympics medal – as Rhys McClenaghan received Eire’s first ever gymnastics gold in a high-level pommel horse closing.

Whitlock had confirmed earlier than the Olympics that Paris could be his closing Video games, having reversed his resolution to retire after Tokyo. The 31-year-old was bidding to win a 3rd consecutive gold on the equipment he had dominated since Rio 2016, so as to add to his bronze received at London 2012.

However McClenaghan, the two-time world champion from Northern Eire, received a sensational gold, with Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov taking silver and America’s Stephen Nedoroscik – aka “Pommel Horse Man” – knocking Whitlock off the rostrum to win bronze.

Whitlock struggled to place the frustration of ending fourth at his closing Olympics into phrases as he mirrored on his profession. He retires as Britain’s best ever male gymnast, having additionally received gold on the ground at Rio and a historic all-around group bronze with Workforce GB at London 2012 when he was 19.

“It’s so uncooked, it’s difficult,” he stated. “It was my closing one and I didn’t need it to complete that approach. After all I might have preferred to complete the chapter a bit higher but it surely wasn’t to be. It wasn’t my day immediately. It was a really robust pommel closing with superb routines from all people. However that’s me completed within the sport, that’s my final routine.

“I believe I’ll want extra time – I’ve by no means mirrored on my profession earlier than. I’m proud to say I’ve completed gymnastics at this degree for thus lengthy. If you take it again to London 2012, as a 19-year-old I dreamt of successful an Olympic medal and I didn’t understand how attainable it was. To suppose I’m standing right here with six, I’m very pleased.”

Whitlock knew the competitors within the closing could be fierce. He was bidding to change into simply the sixth athlete in Olympics historical past to win gold in the identical occasion at three consecutive Olympics however in McClenaghan and Nedoroscik he confronted two former world champions on the pommel horse, with McClenaghan successful back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.

The Northern Irishman had completed seventh on his Olympics debut three years in the past after falling inside 10 seconds of his routine, however the 25-year-old had change into Eire’s first world champion at gymnastics since Tokyo and set the best rating in qualifying on Saturday. There have been simply 0.034 factors to separate them coming into the ultimate.

However the image shortly modified when Kurbanov went first and set an imposing rating of 15.434 on the primary try of the evening. Whereas Whitlock elevated his issue from qualifying, his execution was not excellent and 15.200 dominated him out of gold medal competition. He was surpassed by each McClenaghan – successful gold with 15.533 – and Nedoroscik, claiming the ultimate place on the rostrum with with 15.300.

“I used to be kicking myself watching everybody else going up after me,” Whitlock stated. “I used to be a bit of bit gutted. There have been a couple of errors that I want I might clear up however it’s what it’s. I want I might return and do it once more however that’s the savage a part of our sport – you get one probability and one probability solely.”

Nedoroscik’s decisive contribution to the USA’s bronze medal within the group all-around closing had resulted in him turning into a viral meme as “Pommel Horse Man” – he was named on the USA group regardless of not acting on some other equipment, however his efficiency on the ultimate rotation secured their first medal in 16 years within the males’s competitors.

Earlier, Jake Jarman received Nice Britain’s first creative gymnastics medal of Paris within the flooring closing, claiming a formidable bronze after Luke Whitehouse was unable to knock his teammate off the rostrum.

Jarman set the best rating on the ground in qualifying and through the all-around closing, however Carlos Edriel Yulo of the Philippines claimed gold with a 15.000 and Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat took silver with 14.966.

Jarman loaded his flooring routine with issue however his execution was not excellent, taking a step to his proper after his opening run and three-and-a-half twists. He completed simply in need of gold and silver with 14.933.

“I’m misplaced for phrases to be trustworthy. This medal means every thing to me. I’ve had lots of people in my life that helped me to get the place I’m immediately,” he stated. “Truthfully, I couldn’t be happier

“I stated to myself: simply do the very best you possibly can. Particularly after seeing there have been two ridiculously excessive scores up first. I knew it was going to be insanely arduous. I simply wished to take pleasure in it, do the very best I can. No matter occurs, occurs. I did that and it labored, so I can’t be any extra happy with myself.”

Simone Biles landed her signature “Biles II” on the vault to win a 3rd gold medal of Paris 2024 and seventh Olympic title. The American added to particular person and group all-around medals along with her first equipment title of the Video games.

Biles had carried out the Yurchenko double pike in qualifying, turning into the primary lady to finish it on the Olympics. The transfer concerned a round-off again handspring onto the desk with two backward flips in pike place and it scored Biles an enormous 15.700.

It took the strain off her second try with Biles electing for a safer transfer, and her mixed rating of 15.300 was snug sufficient to win gold forward of Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and Workforce USA teammate Jade Carey.