Max Whitlock

Whitlock was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on 13 January 1993. He was introduced to gymnastics by a friend from a swimming club when he was seven and joined the Sapphire School of Gymnastics in Hemel Hempstead.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1Y4QXWbMl2lwVDGjJTgrYwm/max-whitlock |title=Max Whitlock |work=BBC |date=2015|access-date=9 August 2017}} When he was twelve, his coach Klemen Bedenik returned to Slovenia, and Whitlock followed him to Maribor to continue training.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock MBE |url=https://teamengland.org/team-england-athletes/max-whitlock |website=Team England |access-date=3 September 2023}} He returned three months later and joined South Essex Gymnastics Club in Basildon, where he is coached by his brother-in-law Scott Hann.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2016/07/28/rio-olympics-2016-max-whitlock-reveals-the-lengths-hell-go-in-pu/ |title=Rio Olympics 2016: Max Whitlock reveals the lengths he'll go in pursuit of excellence |first=Simon |last=Briggs |date=28 July 2016 |work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=9 August 2017}} Whitlock's wife, Leah, has also worked as a coach at the club.{{Cite web|title=Artistic Gymnastics - Whitlock Max|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/artistic-gymnastics/athlete-profile-n1467546-whitlock-max.htm#bio|url-status=dead|access-date=28 July 2021|work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|language=en-us|archive-date=28 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728005410/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/artistic-gymnastics/athlete-profile-n1467546-whitlock-max.htm#bio}} He attended Longdean School in Hemel Hempstead.{{cite news |url=http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/fully-focused-max-is-raring-to-go-as-journey-continues-on-the-road-to-rio-1-7193069 |title='Fully focused' Max is raring to go as journey continues on the Road to Rio|work=Hemeltoday |date=2 February 2016|first=Adam|last=Hull|access-date=9 August 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203093023/https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/fully-focused-max-is-raring-to-go-as-journey-continues-on-the-road-to-rio-1-7193069 |archive-date=3 February 2016}}

Whitlock won gold on pommel horse and floor exercise and silver in the all-around at the 2010 Junior European Championships held in Birmingham.{{cite web |title=2010 European Gymnastics Championships Results Book |url=https://backend.europeangymnastics.com/sites/default/files/paragraph/age-group-competition-info/competition-results/Birmingham_Book.pdf |website=European Gymnastics |access-date=18 June 2023}} In October, he was part of the team that won the silver medal for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9063577.stm|title=Essex pair Whitlock and Lawrence hail 'amazing' silver |date=5 October 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=3 September 2023}} He also won the silver medal on the pommel horse and a bronze medal on the horizontal bar.{{cite web |title=Commonwealth Games 2010: Imogen Cairns wins vault gold |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/mobile/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9071217.stm |website=BBC Sport |access-date=11 March 2024 |date=7 October 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9074330.stm|title=Commonwealth Games 2010: Folwell & Cairns win golds |date=8 October 2010 |work=BBC News|access-date=9 August 2017}}

Whitlock was an alternate for the British men's team at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Ollie |title=World Gymnastics 2013: Is Max Whitlock the new Louis Smith? |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/24292311 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=4 September 2023 |date=27 September 2013}}

Whitlock was selected for the British team that competed at the Olympic Test Event, the final opportunity to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. The British team won the event and qualified as a team for the Olympic Games for the first time since 1992.{{cite web |title=Great Britain, France, Spain and Italy's men's teams qualify for Olympic Games |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=125320 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=10 January 2012}}{{cite web|last1=Colasanti|first1=James|title=Max can start dreaming of Olympics spot|url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/9468962.Max_can_start_dreaming_of_Olympics_spot/|access-date=9 August 2017|website=Echo News|date=12 January 2012}} He won the silver medal in the pommel horse final behind teammate Louis Smith.{{cite web |title=Test Event finals wow London crowd |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=128596 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=12 January 2012}} In March, he won the bronze medal on the pommel horse at the Cottbus World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Challenge Cup Concludes in Cottbus |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=68011 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=26 March 2012}} He competed with the British team that won the gold medal at the European Championships. This was the first time the British men's team had won team gold at a major championship.{{cite news|date=28 May 2012|title=London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain men win first ever team gold at the European Gymnastics Championships|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/gymnastics/9294308/London-2012-Olympics-Great-Britain-men-win-first-ever-team-gold-at-the-European-Gymnastics-Championships.html|access-date=9 September 2023}} Individually, Whitlock qualified for the pommel horse final, where he finished in sixth place.{{cite web |title=30th European Artistic Gymnastics Team Championships Results Senior Apparatus Finals |url=https://backend.europeangymnastics.com/sites/default/files/paragraph/age-group-competition-info/competition-results/MECH_Montpellier_Results_Book_Media.pdf |website=European Gymnastics |access-date=10 September 2023 |pages=156 |date=27 May 2012}}

Whitlock represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London alongside Smith, Sam Oldham, Daniel Purvis, and Kristian Thomas. The team initially finished second in the team final, but the Japanese team submitted an inquiry that raised their score, so the British team received the bronze medal. This was the first time the British men's team had won an Olympic medal since 1912.{{cite web |last1=Adams |first1=Tim |title=Gymnastics raises roof as Louis Smith's team make history |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jul/30/gymnastics-louis-smith-make-history |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=30 July 2012}}{{Cite news|last1=Williams|first1=Ollie|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18906623|title=Olympic gymnastics: bronze for GB as Japan win silver on appeal|date=30 July 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=30 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730194425/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18906623|archive-date=30 July 2012|url-status=dead}} He also won the bronze medal in the pommel horse event final behind Hungary's Krisztián Berki and teammate Smith.{{cite web |last1=Aldred |first1=Tanya |title=London 2012 Olympics: Team GB bronze gymnastics medallist Max Whitlock becomes poster boy |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/gymnastics/9454555/London-2012-Olympics-Team-GB-bronze-gymnastics-medallist-Max-Whitlock-becomes-poster-boy.html?onwardjourney=584162_c1 |website=The Telegraph |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=5 August 2012}}

Whitlock began the season at the Internationaux de France where he won the silver medal on the pommel horse behind Olympic champion Krisztián Berki.{{cite web |title=Whitlock settles for second behind Berki in France |url=https://www.eurosport.com/artistic-gymnastics/whitlock-settles-for-second-behind-berki-in-france_sto3672752/story.shtml |website=Eurosport |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=18 March 2013}} He then competed at the European Championships in Moscow. In the all-around final, he won the silver medal behind David Belyavskiy. He then won Great Britain's first European floor title by tying with Israel's Alexander Shatilov. Then in the pommel horse final, he won the bronze medal.{{cite web |title=GB's Daniel Keatings and Max Whitlock win European gymnastics gold |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/20/daniel-keatings-max-whitlock-european-gymnastics |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=20 April 2013}} At the Anadia World Challenge Cup, he was upset in the pommel horse final by Colombia's Jhonny Perez.{{cite web |title=South Americans impress at Anadia World Cup |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=639603 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=24 June 2013}} At the World Championships, Whitlock finished fourth in the all-around final, only 0.300 behind the bronze medalist.{{cite web |title=Kohei Uchimura wins record fourth all-around world title |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2013/10/04/kohei-uchimura-record-fourth-all-around-gymnastics-world-championship/2920503/ |website=USA Today |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=4 October 2013}} Then in the pommel horse final, he tied for the silver medal with Mexico's Daniel Corral.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Greg |title=Gymnastics World Championships Results 2013: Recap of Saturday's Action |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1799720-gymnastics-world-championships-results-2013-recap-of-saturdays-action |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=10 September 2023 |date=5 October 2013}}

At the European Championships in Sofia, Whitlock and his Great Britain teammates won the team silver medal behind Russia.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/gymnastics/27558833 |title=European Gymnastics: British men battle back to secure silver |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 May 2014 |access-date=4 June 2014 |author=Hope, Nick}} In event finals, he won the gold medal in pommel horse ahead of the defending Olympic champion Krisztián Berki. He also finished fifth in the floor exercise final.{{cite web|url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4052:ablyazin-wilson-dominate-european-finals&catid=5:competition-reports&Itemid=164|title=Ablyazin, Wilson Dominate European Finals |work=International Gymnast Magazine|access-date=25 May 2014|url-status=dead|last1=Turner|first1=Amanda|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529103251/http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4052:ablyazin-wilson-dominate-european-finals&catid=5:competition-reports&Itemid=164|archive-date=29 May 2014}} At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Whitlock and his England teammates won the team gold.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/commonwealthgames/10998224/Commonwealth-Games-2014-Englands-men-and-women-gymnasts-take-double-gold.html|title=Commonwealth Games 2014: England's men and women gymnasts take double gold|last=Brown|first=Oliver|date=29 July 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=30 July 2014}} In the all-around final, Whitlock won the gold medal with a score of 90.631 points.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/glasgow-2014-max-whitlock-wins-second-commonwealth-gold-mens-gymnastics-all-around-1459067|title=Glasgow 2014: Max Whitlock Wins Second Commonwealth Gold in Men's Gymnastics All-Around|last=Howson|first=Nick|date=30 July 2014|work=International Business Times|access-date=30 July 2014}} Whitlock won his third gold in the floor exercise final. He took silver in the pommel horse final and bronze in the parallel bars final.{{cite web |title=English gymnasts take three more golds as Commonwealth event finals begin |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=681408 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=1 August 2018}}{{cite web |title=Canada, Scotland, England golden on final day of gymnastics at Commonwealth Games |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=68218 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=2 August 2018}}

Whitlock was chosen to compete for Great Britain at World Championships in Nanning, China. During the qualification round, he had a fall on the floor exercise and costly errors on the pommel horse. He did not qualify for any of the individual finals, including the all-around due to the two-per-country rule as he finished behind teammates Daniel Purvis and Nile Wilson.{{cite web |last1=Hope |first1=Nick |title=World Gymnastics: Britain's Max Whitlock endures 'tough' day |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/29482912 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=3 October 2014}} In the team final, he helped the British team finish fourth which was at the time Great Britain's best-ever team finish at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.{{cite web |last1=Hope |first1=Nick |title=World Gymnastics: GB men finish fourth in team final |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/29523562 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=7 October 2014}} After the team competition, Wilson pulled out of the all-around competition due to a wrist injury, allowing Whitlock to replace him in the final.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/29537416 |title=World Gymnastics: Max Whitlock to replace Nile Wilson in all-around |author=Hope, Nick|work=BBC Sport |date=8 October 2014|access-date=9 August 2017}} He won the silver medal with a score of 90.473, just under a point and a half behind defending Olympic all-around champion Kohei Uchimura.{{cite web |url=https://www.british-gymnastics.org/news-and-events/news/latest-news/4334-world-championships-silver-for-max-whitlock |title=World Championship silver for Max Whitlock |date=9 October 2014 |work=British Gymnastics|access-date=9 August 2017}}

Due to illness, Whitlock only competed on pommel horse at the British Championships, where he won the silver medal behind Louis Smith. After the competition, Whitlock was found to have been suffering from glandular fever.{{cite web |last1=Hull |first1=Adam |title=Max Whitlock's British Championships illness diagnosed as 'low-grade' glandular fever |url=https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/max-whitlocks-british-championships-illness-diagnosed-as-low-grade-glandular-fever-2491015 |website=Hemel Today |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=2 April 2015}} Despite this, Whitlock was chosen to compete at the European Championships, but he only competed on the floor and pommel horse.{{cite web |title=Illness cancels Max Whitlock's all-around hopes |url=https://www.eurosport.com/gymnastics/illness-cancels-max-whitlock-s-all-around-hopes_sto4678578/story.shtml |website=Eurosport |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=15 April 2015}} However, he did not qualify for any event finals. After the European Championships, his coach announced Whitlock would take a break from training to recover.{{cite web|url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/12908376.Max_Whitlock_to_take_two_week_break_to_recover_from_illness_after_missing_out_on_European_Championship_finals/|title=Max Whitlock to take two week break to recover from illness after missing out on European Championship finals|website=Echo News|last1=Phillips|first1=Chris|date=23 April 2015 |access-date=9 August 2017}} In May, Whitlock announced on his Twitter he had returned to training.{{Cite tweet |user=maxwhitlock1 |number=597717116758941696 |title=Back to training}}

Whitlock competed with the British men's team at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. After some minor mistakes in the qualification rounds, he tied for a place in the final with teammate Nile Wilson, but with the tiebreaker rules applied, Whitlock won the place in the individual all-around final.{{cite web |last1=Axon |first1=Rachel |title=Max Whitlock, Nile Wilson tie in all-around qualifying at gymnastics worlds |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2015/10/25/max-whitlock-nile-wilson-gymnastics-world-championship-qualifying/74582884/ |website=USA Today |access-date=13 September 2023 |date=25 October 2015}} The men's team, which included Kristian Thomas, Daniel Purvis, Louis Smith, Brinn Bevan, Nile Wilson and alternate James Hall, became the first British men's team to win a medal in the at a World Championships, winning silver behind Japan.{{cite web |title=Great Britain men win silver at gymnastics world championships |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/29/great-britain-men-silver-gymnastics-world-championships |website=The Guardian |access-date=13 September 2023 |date=28 October 2015}} During the all-around final, Whitlock finished fifth after falling off the horizontal bar.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock sees gymnastics all-around medal slip through his fingers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/31/max-whitlock-world-gymnastics-championships-all-round |website=The Guardian |access-date=13 September 2023 |date=30 October 2015}} He won the silver medal on the floor exercise behind Kenzo Shirai. Then in the pommel horse final, he became the first British man ever to win a World Championship gold medal, by 0.100 over teammate Smith.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gymnastics/34688610|title=Max Whitlock wins gold at World Gymnastics Championships|date=31 October 2015|work=BBC Sport|access-date=31 October 2015}}{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock pips Louis Smith to world gymnastics gold medal in Glasgow |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/31/max-whitlock-louis-smith-world-gymnastics-gold-medal |website=The Guardian |access-date=13 September 2023 |date=31 October 2015}}

Whitlock competed at the Glasgow World Cup and won the all-around with a total score of 89.299.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/35795192|title=Max Whitlock wins Glasgow World Cup gold medal for Britain|date=12 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=13 March 2015}} He had the highest scores of the competition on floor and pommel horse, and he came second on vault and high bar.{{cite news|url=http://www.british-gymnastics.org/news-and-events/international-events/glasgow-world-cup|title=Mens & Womens Artistic - Glasgow FIG Artistic World Cup 2016|website=British Gymnastics|date=12 March 2016|access-date=13 March 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331071151/https://www.british-gymnastics.org/news-and-events/international-events/glasgow-world-cup|archive-date=31 March 2016}} In May, Whitlock withdrew from the European Championships due to a virus.{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=Simon |title=Max Whitlock suffers setback as Team GB squad prepare to conquer Europe |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gymnastics/2016/05/21/max-whitlock-suffers-setback-as-team-gb-squad-prepare-to-conquer/ |website=The Telegraph |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=21 May 2016}}

On 12 July 2016, Whitlock was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics, along with Louis Smith, Nile Wilson, Kristian Thomas and Brinn Bevan.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36774256|title=Rio 2016: Max Whitlock and Louis Smith in GB gymnastics team|last=McDaid|first=David|date=12 July 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=13 July 2016}} The British team finished fourth in the team final.{{cite web |last1=Quarrell |first1=Dan |title=Rio 2016 Olympics: Great Britain's gymnasts finish with agonising fourth place in men's team final |url=https://www.eurosport.com/artistic-gymnastics/rio/2016/rio-2016-olympics-great-britain-s-gymnasts-finish-with-agonising-fourth-place-in-men-s-team-final_sto5713519/story.shtml |website=Eurosport |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=8 August 2016}} He won a bronze medal in the all-around final, Great Britain's first medal in this Olympic event for 108 years.{{cite web |last1=John |first1=Emma |title=Kohei Uchimura retains gold at Rio 2016 as Max Whitlock claims bronze |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/11/kohei-uchimura-all-around-gymnastics-max-whitlock-rio-2016 |website=The Guardian |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=10 August 2016}} He later went on to win the gold in the floor exercise, becoming the first British gymnast to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Within two hours, he won a second gold in the pommel horse.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37078561 |title=Rio Olympics: Usain Bolt wins; GB golds for Whitlock, Murray, Rose & Kenny |date=15 August 2016|work=BBC Sport|access-date=9 August 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36688213 |title=Rio Olympics 2016: Max Whitlock wins second gold |website=BBC Sport |date=14 August 2016 |access-date=14 August 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/simone-biles-britain-s-max-whitlock-dominate-artistic-gymnastics |title=Simone Biles wins again as Max Whitlock earns Great Britain's first ever gymnastics golds |website=Rio 2016 |access-date=15 August 2016 |archive-date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922175439/https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/simone-biles-britain-s-max-whitlock-dominate-artistic-gymnastics |url-status=dead}} He took three months off from training after the Olympic Games.{{cite web |title=A wedding and the Worlds, Whitlock wants to make 2017 as big as 2016 |url=https://www.teamgb.com/article/a-wedding-and-the-worlds-whitlock-wants-to-make-2017-as-big-as-2016/1DyfylVpzhZ1v9cG9LR8tL |website=Team GB |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=1 February 2017}}

In March, Whitlock announced that he would take six months off from competition, missing the London World Cup and the European Championships.{{cite web |title=Double Olympic champion Max Whitlock to take six-month break |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/18852372/double-olympic-champion-max-whitlock-take-six-month-break |website=ESPN |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=8 March 2017}} He returned to competition at the World Championships but only competed on the pommel horse and floor exercise.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock retains world title in style in men's pommel final |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/oct/07/max-whitlock-world-title-pommel-final |website=The Guardian |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=7 October 2017}} Although he fell on the floor exercise during the qualification round, he qualified for the pommel horse final.{{cite web |title=A throne for the taking in the Men's All-around |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=1903226 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=3 October 2017}} He became the first British gymnast to successfully defend a World title when he won the pommel horse final.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/41540464 |title=Max Whitlock: Briton defends pommel horse title at World Championships in Montreal |last=McDaid |first=David |date=7 October 2017 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=8 October 2017}}

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Whitlock was part of the team that won gold in the team event.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/43652018|title=Commonwealth Games: England win gold in men's team final|date=5 April 2018|access-date=19 October 2023|work=BBC Sport}} However, he failed to defend his individual titles in the Games; he sat out the individual all-around competition, finished sixth on the floor, and won silver on the pommel horse behind Rhys McClenaghan.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/apr/08/commonwealth-games-gymnastics-gold-max-whitlock-georgia-mae-fenton |title=Max Whitlock falters as Georgia-Mae Fenton takes gymnastics gold |first=Martha |last=Kelner |date=8 April 2018|access-date=19 October 2023|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/athletics/article/commonwealth-games-underperforming-max-whitlock-misses-out-on-gold-wctg2gcbj |title=Commonwealth Games: Underperforming Max Whitlock misses out on gold |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=8 April 2018 |work=The Sunday Times |first=Rick |last=Broadbent}} At the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow, Whitlock won a silver as part of the British team.{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/story/_/id/24349251/european-championships-russia-beat-great-britain-gold-team-gymnastics |title=High bar falls cost British gymnasts as Russia takes European team gold |access-date=19 October 2023 |work=ESPN|date=11 August 2018}} However, an error in his routine on the pommel horse caused him to finish seventh in the event final.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/45162384 |title=European Championships 2018: Dominick Cunningham wins gold as Max Whitlock misses out |date=12 August 2018 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=19 October 2023}} At the 2018 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Whitlock was a member of the British team that finished fifth.{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Chris |title=Max Whitlock and Brinn Bevan help GB finish fifth in team final at World Gymnastics Championships |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/17187201.max-whitlock-brinn-bevan-help-gb-finish-fifth-team-final-world-gymnastics-championships/ |website=Echo |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=29 October 2018}} He failed to win a third consecutive pommel gold at the World Championship, despite receiving the same score of 15.166 as the winner Xiao Ruoteng. He lost the tiebreaker and finished in second place due to a lower execution mark.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/46077169 |title=Max Whitlock: British gymnast just misses out on world gold |date=2 November 2018 |access-date=19 October 2023 |work=BBC Sport}}{{cite web |title=Biles, Dalaloyan add more gold in historic day at Doha Worlds |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2305440 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=2 November 2018}}

After failing to win gold at the European Championships in 2018, Whitlock regained his gold on pommel horse at the 2019 European Championships held in Szczecin, Poland.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/47921345 |title=European Gymnastics Championships: Max Whitlock wins pommel gold, Ellie Downie wins bronze on vault |first=David |last=McDaid |work=BBC Sport |date=13 April 2019 |access-date=19 October 2023}} At the World Championships in Stuttgart, Whitlock fell on the pommel horse during the team final where the British team finished fifth.{{cite web |title=Russian men claim first world team title at Stuttgart Worlds |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2704430 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=9 October 2019}} In the event finals, he recovered from an early mistake to win his third World gold on the pommel horse.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/50029484 |title=World Gymnastics Championships: Max Whitlock wins gold, Downie sisters claim medals |date=12 October 2019|work=BBC Sport}}

Whitlock returned to competition at the European Championships, his first competition in 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last1=Baldwin |first1=Alan |title=Gymnastics-'Old man' Whitlock still has more in the tank for Tokyo |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-olympics-2020-gymnastics-whitlock-idCAKCN2D62UD |website=Reuters |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=25 May 2021}} However, he fell off the pommel horse during the qualification round and missed the final.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock takes strength from tough times as he targets more Olympic glory |url=https://www.itv.com/news/london/2021-05-06/max-whitlock-takes-strength-from-tough-times-as-he-targets-more-olympic-glory |website=ITV |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=6 May 2021}} At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Whitlock competed for Great Britain alongside Joe Fraser, James Hall, and Giarnni Regini-Moran. The team took fourth place with a score of 255.76.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock: It's time to close the gap on the big three |url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/max-whitlock-its-time-to-close-the-gap-on-the-big-three-122027191.html |website=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=11 March 2024 |date=27 July 2021}} Whitlock opted not to defend the floor exercise title, concentrating instead on the pommel horse, which he went on to win with a score of 15.583.{{Cite web|title=Tokyo Olympics: Max Whitlock defends Olympic pommel horse title|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/58044973|work=BBC Sport|date=1 August 2021|access-date=19 October 2023}}

Whitlock took over one year off from training after the Olympic Games and did not compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games or the 2022 World Championships.{{cite web |title=Max Whitlock, Olympic gymnastics champion, not on British team for world championships |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/max-whitlock-gymnastics-world-championships |website=NBC Sports |access-date=3 September 2023 |date=22 September 2022}} Instead, he joined the BBC's coverage of the gymnastics events at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.{{Cite web |title=Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/birmingham-2022-commonwealth-games-on-the-bbc#:~:text=Daily%20coverage%20will%20begin%20on,for%20all%20the%20athletics%20events. |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}} He was scheduled to return to competition at the 2023 European Championships, but he had to withdraw due to an injury.{{cite web |last1=Stafford |first1=Katie |title=Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2023: GB's Max Whitlock returns with new ambitions |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/66879998 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=29 September 2023}} He was selected for the 2023 World Championships team alongside Jake Jarman, James Hall, Harry Hepworth and Courtney Tulloch.{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Craig |title=Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2023: Max Whitlock in Great Britain squad |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/66584873 |website=BBC |access-date=4 September 2023 |date=22 August 2023}} The team finished fourth in the team final.{{cite web |title=Japan sits atop the world once more in Men's Artistic Gymnastics |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=3991785 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=4 October 2023}} During the pommel horse final, Whitlock fell and finished fifth.{{cite web |last1=Bregman |first1=Scott |title=Rhys McClenaghan defends pommel horse world title with American Khoi Young taking silver |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/artistic-gymnastics-world-championships-2023-rhys-mcclenaghan-pommel-horse-gold-khoi-young-silver |website=Olympic Channel |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=7 October 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Carayol |first1=Tumaini |title=McClenaghan and Andrade win golds on pommel as Whitlock and Biles fall |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/07/rhys-mcclenaghan-claims-pommel-horse-gold-after-max-whitlocks-fall |website=The Guardian |access-date=11 March 2024 |date=7 October 2023}}

In 2024 Whitlock announced that Paris 2024 would be his final Olympics.{{Cite web |title=Max Whitlock OBE to bring Olympic gymnastics journey to an end |url=https://www.british-gymnastics.org/articles/max-whitlock-obe-to-bring-olympic-gymnastics-journey-to-an-end |access-date=15 April 2024 |website=www.british-gymnastics.org |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=10 April 2024 |title=Max Whitlock to retire after Paris 2024 Olympics |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gymnastics/68768442 |access-date=15 April 2024 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} In June he was officially selected to represent Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Joe Fraser, Jake Jarman, Harry Hepworth, and Luke Whitehouse.{{cite web|url=https://www.british-gymnastics.org/articles/introducing-the-paris-2024-gymnastics-teams|title=And your Team GB Paris 2024 gymnasts are...|work=British Gymnastics|date=June 13, 2024}} They came fourth in the team competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cw5yzx04239o|title=GB gymnasts fourth as Japan snatch men's team gold|date=29 July 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 August 2024}} Whitlock qualified for the pommel horse final where he was attempting to become the first male gymnast to medal at four successive games on a single apparatus{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/c25ly50jpqzo|title='Relief' for history-chasing Whitlock at Olympics|date=27 July 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 August 2024}} but he finished fourth.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cgl7lkz5en0o|title=McClenaghan wins gold as Whitlock misses out in final event|date=3 August 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 August 2024}}

Whitlock finished seventh in the public vote for the 2014 and 2016 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, and he finished eighth in 2015.{{cite web |title=Lewis Hamilton wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/sports-personality/30456847 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=14 December 2014}}{{cite web |title=Andy Murray wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/sports-personality/35130585 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=12 September 2023 |date=20 December 2015}}{{cite web |title=BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2016: Andy Murray wins for a record third time |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/sports-personality/38358869 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=14 September 2023 |date=18 December 2016}} He received the Longines Prize for Elegance at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.{{cite web |title=Giulia Steingruber, Max Whitlock awarded Longines Prizes for Elegance at Artistic Gymnastics World Championships |url=https://gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=1368219 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=4 September 2023 |date=31 October 2015}}

Whitlock was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to gymnastics{{cite web|date=30 December 2016|title=The full list of Essex winners in the New Year's Honour List 2017|url=http://www.essexlive.news/new-year-s-honour-list-2017-max-whitlock-leads-essex-s-nominations/story-30020084-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231190507/http://www.essexlive.news/new-year-s-honour-list-2017-max-whitlock-leads-essex-s-nominations/story-30020084-detail/story.html|archive-date=31 December 2016|access-date=9 August 2017|website=Essex Live}} and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours, also for services to gymnastics.{{London Gazette|issue=63571|supp=y|page=N16|date=1 January 2022}}{{cite web|date=31 December 2021|title=Olympian Max Whitlock and Diversity star Ashley Banjo among Essex residents awarded in Queen's New Year's Honours list |url=https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/olympian-max-whitlock-diversity-star-6427386 |access-date=3 January 2022|website=Essex Live}}

In February 2021, Whitlock was announced as an ambassador for the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, England.

Whitlock married Leah Hickton in July 2017.{{cite news|last=Kilner|first=Martha|date=5 October 2017|title=Max Whitlock: 'My dream is to do a skill that nobody has ever done before'|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/oct/05/max-whitlock-thinking-time-world-gymnastics-championships-montreal|access-date=3 September 2023}} The following year, they set up the Max Whitlock Gymnastics Club with locations in Colchester and Southend. Their first child, a daughter named Willow, was born in February 2019.{{cite web|date=10 March 2019|title=Exclusive: Olympian Max Whitlock and wife Leah introduce baby daughter Willow|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/2019031070688/olympic-star-max-whitlock-introduces-baby-daughter-willow/|work=Hello Magazine|access-date=3 September 2023}}

In January 2020, Whitlock's book The Whitlock Workout: Get Fit and Healthy in Minutes was published by Headline.{{cite web |last1=Warren |first1=Jane |title=How to get fit at home: Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock shows you how with cushion |url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1223284/how-to-get-fit-at-home-olympic-gymnast-max-whitlock |website=Express |access-date=4 September 2023 |date=3 January 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Hart |first1=Anna |title=Max Whitlock on somersaults, kebabs and how to get fit with gymnastics at home |url=https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/wellbeing/max-whitlock-workout-gymnastics-olympics-fitness-book-383802 |website=i |access-date=4 September 2023 |date=10 January 2020}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.british-gymnastics.org/gymnast-profiles/377804/max-whitlock Max Whitlock] at British Gymnastics
• {{FIG|bio=30597|lic=14488|name=Max Whitlock}}
• {{Team GB}}
• {{Olympedia}}
• {{Olympics.com profile}}
• {{Team England|max-whitlock}}
• {{CGF profile}}
• {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|artistic-gymnastics/athlete-profile-n6037099-max-whitlock}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Floor Men}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Pommel Horse Men}}

{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsMen'sPommelHorse}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Artistic Gymnastics Team Men|2014|2018}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Artistic Gymnastics Individual Men}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Artistic Gymnastics Floor Men}}

{{Footer European Artistic Gymnastics Team Champions (Men)|2012}}

{{European Champions in Artistic Gymnastics – Men's Floor Exercise}}

{{European Champions Artistic Gymnastics Pommel Horse}}

{{Portal bar|border=yes|Olympic Games}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitlock, Max}}

Category:1993 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Hemel Hempstead

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England

Category:British male artistic gymnasts

Category:Gymnasts at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Category:Gymnasts at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic gymnasts for Great Britain

Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic medalists in gymnastics

Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Category:Gymnasts at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Category:Gymnasts at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Category:Gymnasts at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England

Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in gymnastics

Category:World champion gymnasts

Category:Medalists at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Gymnasts at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Category:English male artistic gymnasts

Category:Gymnasts at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:21st-century English sportsmen