High five for GB men’s gymnasts at worlds

Great Britain’s men qualified for five finals at the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp with Scotland’s Dan Purvis and Max Whitlock leading the way with two finals apiece.
Russias David Belyavskiy during qualification on the rings at the world championships. Picture: AFP/GettyRussias David Belyavskiy during qualification on the rings at the world championships. Picture: AFP/Getty
Russias David Belyavskiy during qualification on the rings at the world championships. Picture: AFP/Getty

Purvis finished eighth in the all-around rankings with a total of 87.031 from Monday while Whitlock qualified in 10th with 86.941 for tomorrow’s final.

Whitlock, who won Olympic pommel horse bronze at London 2012, also qualified for the pommel horse final in seventh place with a routine of 15.408 while Purvis’ 15.266 on the floor secured him a place in the top eight for the apparatus.

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Kristian Thomas scored 14.933 on the vault to book his place in the final with the fourth-best ­qualifying result and just missed out on a place in the high bar final after finishing in 10th place.

There were, however, some shocks, as Olympic pommel horse champion Krisztian Berki and Britain’s European pommel horse champion Dan Keatings both fell from the apparatus during their routines meaning both will miss out on the final.

There was no place for Sam Oldham in the floor final after he finished outside the top eight with 14.400, while fellow Briton Ashley Watson scored 15.133 on the parallel bars to also miss out.

Whitlock, who was a reserve in Great Britain’s torrid World Championships of 2011, was pleased to continue his progress following his double bronze medal success at the Olympics. “I’m happy, it’s my first experience of a World Championships. I made a few little mistakes but overall it was a pretty good start for me and hopefully I can build on that during the championships,” he said. “I started well on high bar, made a mistake on floor but I was happy to try out my new routines, pommel went well, rings another mistake but I stepped it up well for the last two pieces.”

He added: “Having competed at ­Olympic Games and European ­Championships I think it gave me some idea of what to expect but every event is different and I’m looking to get as much from these experiences in the run up to Rio.”

World floor bronze medallist and Olympic bronze medallist Purvis was also pleased to be in two finals. He said: “The competition went really well in the end and to finish in the top eight in the all-around qualification is a great start. To make the floor final was also a big aim of mine coming in to this event so there’s a big sense of relief having made both finals.”

Thomas missed this year’s European championships due to a fractured tibia suffered during competition on the vault, so was relieved to come through ­unscathed and make a final.

“I’m delighted to make the vault final after having a difficult year with injury,” Thomas said. “Going into the final it’s a bit of a lottery. I will be doing the same vaults and just hope to stick the landing more cleanly, then who knows. Overall it’s just great to be back out competing on the world stage, the crowd have been great and I’m really enjoying being back amongst it.”

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Japan’s superstar gymnast Kohei Uchimura topped the all-around standings from the first day of qualification with 91.924, and the Olympic and three-time world champion will be the man to beat in the blue riband event on Thursday night.

Samuel Mikulak of the US was second with 89.532 with Japan’s Ryohei Kato third with 89.474.

The championship continued with the first subdivision of the women’s qualification yesterday and the rest ongoing today.