Olympics 2024: Max Whitlock misses out on pommel horse medal

PARIS — Workforce GB’s Max Whitlock missed out on a pommel horse medal on Saturday, failing to make the rostrum within the self-discipline for the primary time in his Olympic profession.

Whitlock gained bronze on his debut at London 2012, following up with golds at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He had stepped away from gymnastics after Tokyo amid psychological well being struggles earlier than returning to competitors final 12 months.

In Paris he was aiming to develop into a three-time champion, Whitlock was second up within the occasion, though his rating of 15.200 was lower than Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan who scored 15.433 to open the competitors.

Eire’s Rhys McClenaghan, who took the gold medal, and Workforce USA’s Stephen Nedoroscik later topped Whitlock, pushing him out of the medal positions.

It marks the ultimate Olympic efficiency of Whitlock’s profession after he introduced in April that he would retire following these Video games.

“It is extremely uncooked in the mean time and I might have beloved for it to finish in a greater approach right here in Paris,” an emotional Whitlock instructed the BBC after the occasion. “However I don’t want anybody to have a look at the best way I’m feeling now and suppose that it’s a reflection of my profession, I’m so proud standing right here immediately.

“It was a problem getting right here. I may have stop after Tokyo and I made a decision to return again … I’m proud to be right here. After all I might have wished for it to finish higher however my resolution to return right here was not based mostly on the result. It was based mostly on simply being right here at my fourth Olympics and to have that fourth Olympics in my journey.

“It’s gutting and disappointing, in fact it’s, however I’m proud. I’m carried out now, I’m not a gymnast any longer. I’ve carried out my last routine and I might be very joyful.”

Earlier on Saturday, Whitlock’s compatriot Jake Jarman, 22, claimed bronze within the males’s ground occasion for his first Olympic medal.