Max Whitlock closes the door on an historic Olympic career at Paris 2024

Gymnastics Artistic 03 Aug 24

Max Whitlock is not sad that it is over – he is just happy that it happened at all.

The three-time Olympic champion may not have had the fairy tale ending his career deserved, after finishing fourth in the pommel horse final, but he bows out with his head held high at the end of a hall-of-fame career.

The 31-year-old was stunned and stung at the end of a high-quality final. After years of build-up, hype and anticipation, his routine last 60 seconds – and, after landing his dismount, he instantly knew it was not to be.

Whitlock was just 0.100 off a bronze medal at the Bercy Arena but it won’t be this that he is remembered for.

It will be those two gold medals within two hours in Rio, the defence of his title in Tokyo and fighting back from struggles with his mental health to make his fourth Games here in Paris.

“If you take it back to London 2012, I really dreamt of getting an Olympic medal but I did not know how possible it was,” he said.

“To be standing here with six, I can be very happy.

“This result makes it hard to look at but I will support the guys, go home and then reflect on my career a bit. I have not done that enough over the years.”

Perhaps then, a history lesson is due.

At the Rio 2016 Games, Whitlock won Team GB’s first medal in the all-around event for 108 years, before becoming the first British gold medallist in artistic gymnastics with victory in the floor and pommel horse events.

Four years earlier, at London 2012, he won bronze in the men's pommel horse and as part of the men's team category, while Tokyo 2020 saw him successfully defend his Olympic title and clinch a third gold.

Add in three World Championship golds, four Commonwealth Games titles and four European victories and it's not a bad haul for a kid who preferred swimming.

“I am proud to be here and proud to have said I have done gymnastics for so long and the career I have had,” he added.

“I had my wife [Leah] and daughter [Willow, 5] here as well. I spotted them in the crowd and for me, that is one of the best feelings.

“I have said before, one of the best feelings before even making it to Paris is for my family to come and watch me in my last Olympic Games, rather than make Tokyo the last.”

Whitlock complained about a couple of minor errors but his routine was still pretty damn good. His score of 15.200 would have been enough for bronze in Tokyo and gold at the 2023 World Championships.

But in a field stacked with world-class talent, it was not enough. Going second, Whitlock had to follow Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov, who had just scored 15.433.

When he finished, Whitlock knew his score was unlikely to top it and when he saw his name come up second on the leaderboard, he slumped into his chair.

McClenaghan shot straight to the top shortly after, before Stephen Nedoroscik just took third. Whitlock stared at the ceiling, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I am disappointed. I think because it is so raw, it is very tricky. It was my final one, I of course did not want to finish this way,” he said.

“I made the decision that Paris was going to be my final one not based on what the outcome would be, based on just getting here in the first place and make my fourth Olympic Games.

“I am proud of that, I would have liked to end this chapter a little better but it was not to be – there is a reason for everything and it was not my day. That is me done in the sport, it is my last routine.

“I will need a bit of time but I have never really reflected on my career. If there is any time to do it, it is maybe now.”

So what next? Unlike many athletes that call it a day, Whitlock has a firm plan for retirement – and it naturally involves gymnastics.

“My next target is to have an impact at grassroots,” he said.

"Gymnastics is one of the best sports in the world and I am so grateful to have done it for long and so grateful to have found it from seven years old.

“It is a sport that sets you up to go further and that is what gives me a huge pleasure. I want to have a massive impact in the sport and inspire children.”

As Jake Jarman, who won bronze in the men’s floor, has proved, the future of British gymnastics is very bright. But there will only ever be one Max Whitlock.

Sportsbeat 2024

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