The Olympics qualifying round is one of the most tense days of some gymnasts’ careers. While there are no medals on offer, the prospect of their dreams crumbling to dust on the first day of competition looms over them all. The pressure can feel even more overwhelming for specialists such as Max Whitlock, who now puts almost all his efforts into success on the pommel horse. It takes only one small mistake for the dream to die.
Throughout his glittering career, Whitlock has shown that he can handle that pressure and more. He did so again on Saturday afternoon, working through a tight, clean and difficult routine to qualify for next Saturday’s final in third on a brilliant day for British men’s gymnastics.
