'That's me done' - Whitlock misses out on medal to end glittering gymnastics career

An emotional Max Whitlock held back the tears after he was unable to sign off his decorated gymnastics career with a fourth consecutive Olympics medal – as Rhys McClenaghan won Ireland’s first ever gymnastics gold in a high-level pommel horse final.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Whitlock had confirmed before the Olympics that Paris would be his final Games, having reversed his decision to retire after Tokyo. The 31-year-old was bidding to win a third consecutive gold on the apparatus he had dominated since Rio 2016, to add to his bronze won at London 2012.

But McClenaghan, the two-time world champion from Northern Ireland, won a sensational gold, with Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov taking silver and America’s Stephen Nedoroscik – aka “Pommel Horse Guy” – knocking Whitlock off the podium to win bronze.

Whitlock struggled to put the disappointment of finishing fourth at his final Olympics into words as he reflected on his career. He retires as Britain’s greatest-ever male gymnast, having also won gold on the floor at Rio and a historic all-around team bronze with Team GB at London 2012 when he was 19.

“It’s so raw, it’s tricky,” he said. “It was my final one and I didn’t want it to finish that way. Of course I would have liked to finish the chapter a bit better but it wasn’t to be. It wasn’t my day today. It was a very strong pommel final with amazing routines from everybody. But that’s me done in the sport, that’s my last routine.

“I think I will need more time – I’ve never reflected on my career before. I’m proud to say I’ve done gymnastics at this level for so long. When you take it back to London 2012 as a 19-year-old, I dreamt of winning an Olympic medal and I didn’t know how possible it was. To think I’m standing here with six, I’m very happy.”