Smith and Whitlock Have Strong Showing to Lead Team GB Gymnasts to Final
Incredible performances by both Louis Smith and Max Whitlock on the pommel have helped Team GB’s men’s gymnastics squad cruise to an easy spot in the finals. This sports betting news for bookies and those making wagers should make things interesting over the next 24 hours or so, as the team finals are set to take place at Olympic Arena on Monday, August 8th.
Competing in the second subdivision, the British men’s gymnastics squad came in third place overall and effectively stamped their tickets to the finals. This was due in large part to the amazing efforts of Max Whitlock and Louis Smith who now reside in first and second place respectively on the pommel horse event.
In addition, Nile Wilson gave an outstanding performance on the horizontal bar among his other efforts in the all-around competition, boosting Team GB’s average score and impressing the crowd in the process with his displays of finesse. Wilson ended up with a score of 15.500 after competing, placing him in the second overall spot in the second subdivision when the event was over.
It wasn’t quite as close of a match for Whitlock and Smith, who easily stood out among the rest of the field when they performed on the pommel horse. Whitlock, the 23-year-old gymnast who comes from Hertfordshire, dominated the event with an impressive 15.800 scoring total. Even with Smith’s strong display that put him in second place, Whitlock’s score was still a full tenth of a point above. Those following sports betting news will want to watch these two very closely as the time draws near to compete for the medals. Whitlock also placed first in his subdivision for the floor competition.
The gymnast states that he is happy with what he has done at the preliminary events. He goes to add that “the team have pulled together really well and I’m really pleased to come up first in the floor and the pommel.” Whitlock further expressed his hope that he will be in the finals. With such stellar performances, this is almost certain.
According to Whitlock, the men’s gymnastics squad is one of the strongest that Team GB has ever assembled. Just a year ago across the globe in Beijing, they proved their worth by beating out China and placing second overall in the 2015 World Championships. That experience and the squad’s newly-gained momentum should propel them forward into Monday in hopes of coming out strong when it counts.
As far as Nile Wilson is concerned, the outcome couldn’t have been any better for the 20-year-old gymnast. In what was his first appearance in an Olympics event, he orchestrated a phenomenal routine and left an impression on the judges and fellow athletes alike. Wilson says, “I’m loving every second of it and I’m focusing on enjoying myself.”
If the British men’s gymnasts can maintain such high quality in their performances, Team GB will be enjoying some medals as well.