Max Whitlock wins two gymnastics golds in one day

Max Whitlock has won two Olympic gold medals in one day, ending Great Britain’s gymnastics medals drought with victory in the men’s pommel horse and floor events.

The gymnast added to the bronze he picked up in the all-around event earlier this week.

Whitlock’s day began with the floor. He performed a phenomenal routine, heading to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 15.633. He then had to wait for five more men to go to see if he’d end up on the podium.

Come Japan’s Kenzo Shirai, the pre-event favourite, Whitlock knew that he was guaranteed a medal. Shirai’s performance was unexpectedly error-prone, and he went fourth with 15.366. Only the US’ Samuel Mikulak could deny Whitlock the top spot, but it was not to be – the GB gymnast took gold, with Brazilian pair Diego Hypolito and Arthur Mariano in silver- and bronze-position respectively.

After the floor gold, Whitlock said: “Winning the floor was a surprise. I never go into any competition thinking about medals but just thinking about doing my job. You only get about one minute to show what you’ve been working on for four years. I wasn’t watching any of the other floor routines so it just hit me when I realised what I’d done.”

Then it was onto the pommel horse, Whitlock’s preferred event and one in which he came through at the end with a score of 15.966. He leapfrogged compatriot Louis Smith, who completed a British one-two with a score of 15.833 after Nikolai Kusenkov failed to trouble the top of the podium with an unspectacular routine.

The bronze went to Alex Naddour of the US.

After the two wins, British gymnast Dan Keatings said: “I don’t think Max can quite believe he’s won two gold medals. He came on to the scene in 2012, won the bronze there and kicked on. He’s Commonwealth champion, European champion, world champion and now double Olympic champion. He’s done everything.”