Max Whitlock is brought to TEARS over question about his daughter during emotional interview – as Team GB star suffers Olympic heartbreak in his final gymnastics routine

Max Whitlock fights back the tears in an emotional interview following his final-ever routine in gymnastics at the Olympic Games.

Whitlock, 31, was going for a third successive pommel horse Olympic gold before he retires from the sport after the Paris Games.

However, there was no fairytale ending for the three-time Olympic champion as he missed out on a medal – finishing an agonising fourth place.

In an interview with the BBC following his final outing, Whitlock became overcome with emotion when he was asked about his five-year-old daughter Willow watching him from the stands at the Bercy Arena.

The Team GB gymnast apologised before he briefly paused the interview to regain his composure. Once he had, he said: ‘It’s the proudest feeling.’

Tears came to Whitlock’s eyes when he was asked about his five-year-old daughter Willow

Whitlock came fourth in the pommel horse , failing to retain the golds he won in 2016 and 2020

‘I’ve done this sport for 24 years and I’ve always said for a very long time that I want to have children young so that my child can watch me compete.’

I then all got too much for Whitlock again: ‘Sorry – for god’s sake,’ he said as he looked up to the sky with tears in his eyes.

Whitlock went second in the final, scoring an impressive 15.200 as he looked set to take home a seventh Olympic medal.

But a mammoth total of 15.533 from Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan, as well as remarkable routines from Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov and USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, pushed him out of the medals. 

Whitlock was clearly disappointed with the result during the interview, but he was keen to look at the bigger picture of what he achieved during his time in the sport. 

‘It is very raw at the moment,’ said Whitlock. ‘I would have loved for it to end in a better way here in Paris.

‘But I do not want anyone to look at the way I am feeling now and think that it is a reflection of my career, I am so proud standing here today.’

The 31-year-old was clearly disappointed when he realised he had not done enough for a medal

Whitlock (pictured at Tokyo 2020) retires from gymnastics as a three-time Olympic champion

Now that his highly successful career is at an end, Whitlock is ready for the next phase of his life. 

He added: ‘I feel very grateful to be a gymnast. I am very, very fortunate to have done a sport that I have loved from seven years old until now, 31 years old, it’s a long time.

‘One of the best comments is when I have inspired young children to get into gymnastics. 

‘I get the comments all the time throughout here and the Olympic Games about someone getting their child into it because they have watched me, that’s one of the best feelings.

‘And now I am done with my competing career, I love the sport and I loved every minute, now I want to change gymnastics for the grassroots and hopefully I can do that, that’s my next mission.’