Purvis stays positive but knows there’s work to do

THE party line is that places are still up for grabs. The reality is spots are only there to lose. Dan Purvis, bar injury or an inconvenient touch of vertigo, will surely be in the UK’s gymnastics squad for the summer’s Olympic Games. But in the quest to match, or surpass, the team bronze he claimed at London 2012, there can be no room for complacency.

Following an uncharacteristic struggle on the pommel horse in the opening event of Saturday’s World Cup in Glasgow, the Scot could afford few additional errors. And he recovered to snatch third place with a near-flawless finale on the high bars that spoke volumes for his mental fortitude.

“I can do a lot better than that,” said the 25-year-old. “So it is about putting my hand up and doing what I do in training. Everything is just little things. I was happy with my landings on the other five pieces. I am gradually building up for the year.”

All had to bow down before Max Whitlock. The Englishman reached new heights by taking an historic gold at last October’s world championships at the Hydro Arena but he has not settled, accumulating an all-around total of 89.299 to top the standings.

From start to finish, Whitlock was a class above. And with the British Championships to be staged at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in three weeks’ time, and the Europeans shortly after, his prospective team-mates in Rio will be asked to follow that lead.

“Max was fantastic,” Purvis said. “It was his first competition of the year. After his vault, he knew he was quite a bit ahead. It was great to compete with him. But I want to try to raise my bar as well.

“It is a massive British Championships, coming before Rio. It is going to be intense. But this has given me a lot of confidence. It could have been better but I have come through it strong and I will go into the British with a positive attitude.”