MAX WHITLOCK broke down in tears on TV after failing to win a medal at the Paris Olympics.
The retiring Team GB star was agonisingly beaten by American Stephen Nedroscik to bronze in the pommel horse event.
Whitlock, 31, had won gold medals in Tokyo and Rio, but was unable to achieve a perfect ending to his Olympic career.
The gymnast was emotional after the results came in as he could not hold back the tears during an interview with the BBC.
He said: “It is very raw at the moment and 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.
“It was a challenge getting here. I could have quit after Tokyo and I decided to come back.
“I think giving yourself a good shot, giving yourself the opportunity to go forward rather than quitting out of fear of failure.
“I am proud to be here. Of course I would have wanted for it to end better but my decision to come here was not based on the outcome.
“It was based on just being here at my fourth Olympics and to have that fourth Olympics in my journey.
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“It is gutting and disappointing, of course it is, but I am proud. I am done now, I am not a gymnast any longer. I have done my final routine and I can be very happy.”
While speaking he started to get choked up on a couple of occasions with the interviewer saying she would give him a minute to compose himself.
Whitlock continued to sob while apologising before he could compose himself.
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.”
Whitlock was watched by his daughter and he insisted that he will always be proud and grateful for his career.
In total he has won six Olympic medals, three gold inlducing two for pommel horse and one for the floor exercise.
Two of his three bronze medals cam at the London games in 2012 as he competed in the men’s artistic team all-around and pommel horse.
He said: “I think it is the proudest feeling. I have done this sport for 24 years and I have always said that I want to have children young so they can watch me compete.
“I feel very grateful to have been a gymnast, to have done the sport that I love since I was seven years old to now at thirty one.
“It is a long stint. One of the best comments is when I have inspired young children to get into gymnastics, I have had plenty of them out here from parents saying their child has gotten into the sport after watching me and that is one of the best feelings.”
Whitlock went on to say that he is done and is planning to help the sport of gymnastics at “grassroots level”.
“I am done with competing but I love this sport and now I want to help to change it at grassroots level. Hopefully I can do that. That is my next mission.”
