Essex born Max Whitlock is a 'humble, genuine' human, says gym, as he hopes to make Olympic history
He competes in the pommel horse at 16:15, hoping to become the first gymnast to win medals on the same apparatus at four successive Games.
Essex born Max Whitlock competes in what could be his last Olympic pommel horse competition this afternoon.
He hopes to become the first gymnast to win medals on the same apparatus at four successive Games.
Max's training gym is the South Essex gym in Basildon, home to over 18 athletes competing for their country, including female GB gymnast, Georgia-Mae Fenton.
Gymnasts from all over the country have moved to Essex to train at the gym, particularly young male gymnasts.
Max's former training partner and coaching team member is Anthony Wiser. He's known Max for 20 years. Anthony told us,
"We moved to this centre in 2011 and it was a year after that Max got his first Olympic medal. And since then, every time Max has got a major result I've seen a large influx of kids wanting to take up gymnastics, particularly boys.
"Now we have 18 gymnasts on national team, 2 from Bulgaria, 1 from India. And 15 on the GB programme. And that's really grown, I don't thin kthat would have been possible without Max's results.
"We've seen a huge influx of boys wanting to take up gymnastics in the Essex area."
Anthony told us about Max's training in the run up to the Paris Olympics, and the adversities he's faced.
"A lot of Max's best ever results have come when he's faced a bit of adversity.
"His first world title was after he had glandular fever. Max and his coach, Scott, really had to work on a new approach to training. But it worked.
"In the run up to Rio, Max was training 30 plus hours. It was very intense. Now he's got that life balance with gymnastics, he's got a wife and family.
Before the Paris Olympics, Max faced an injury that affected the training in the run up to the Olympics.
"Unfortunately he had a slight injury during April when the Europeans were meant to be on so he had to withdraw from that.
"He's had to navigate around that injury in the run up to Paris. It hasn't always been easy.
"He's a humble, genuine human with everybody, the nicest guy."
Anthony says, "Despite his results getting better and better, what didn't change was his humbleness. He's been the same guy in the gym with all of us throughout.
South Essex Gym gymnasts are 'excited' and 'very nervous' to watch Max in the pommel horse this afternoon in what he's said is his final Olympic Games.
The pommel horse event will take place at 16:15pm August 3rd.