Comments included: ‘Think Louis Smiths behaviour towards Max Whitlock is disgusting!Not bothering to shake hands.I know he’s heartbroken but…he’s a team mate, ‘ and: ‘Louis Smith throwing shade at Max Whitlock must be an embarrassment for Team GB!
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Whitlock produced a series of gravity-defying tumbles on the floor to win gold with a score of 15.633.
On the cycling track Kenny, the 28-year-old reigning Olympic sprint champion beat teammate Callum Skinner to add a 14th gold, while sailor Scott’s victory in the men’s finn will be confirmed in the medal race on Tuesday.
Not two hours had passed when Whitlock added a second gong on his favoured apparatus of the pommel horse, with British teammate Louis Smith claiming silver.
“Incredible performance. Can’t fault him”, Smith said.
Whitlock, responding to the same question, said: “I hope so”. Whatever the reality of their relationship, it shouldn’t detract from the magic of Whitlock.
And he rose to the occasion in the floor final while his biggest rivals – chiefly the great all-around champion Uchimura, Shirai and finally Mikulak – made mistakes and fell out of contention.
Smith had earlier recorded a score of 15.833, which proved to be good enough for a second consecutive Olympic silver and his fourth Olympic medal overall.
Whitlock grinned as he watched the Union Flag being raised highest in an Olympic gymnastics venue for the first time, then somehow refocused to deliver a pommel routine which lived up to his status as favourite after winning the world title in Glasgow a year ago. He won team bronze and pommel horse bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, and took an all-around bronze a few days ago. “I had to get back to the training gym and refocus”.
“To come out and deliver that routine was really pleasing and I’m feeling a lot of pride”. We are one and two in the world and that is a great place to be.
Whitlock celebrates winning gold.
“This feels better than any tournament I’ve ever won”, said Rose.
“I’ve been in the sport for two decades and it shows I’ve still got it at the age of 27”.
Adams said that while Whitlock was always a “solid all rounder”, he always had a flair for the pommel horse.
The crowd’s main concern was that no one would leapfrog sentimental favourite Hypolito or Mariano. It was tough but at the same time I am so proud of what I have done.
His personal life is also inevitably entwined in gymnastics.
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The then 16-year-old Smith had said he had wanted to win an Olympic gold, but officials laughed and told the talented Huntingdon Gymnastics Club member to be realistic.
