Silver for Whitlock

MAX Whitlock missed out on making history by the narrowest of margins at the World Gymnastics Championships in Doha when he was pipped to pommel gold by China’s Xiao Ruoteng.

A tiny error made all the difference for Whitlock, bidding to become the first British gymnast to win three consecutive world titles, as he tied Ruoteng on 15.166 but missed out on gold due to a lower execution score.

Nevertheless his silver medal completed a timely return to form for the double Olympic champion, who had also been denied gold at this year’s Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Whitlock said: “I can’t not be happy with a world silver medal.”