Max Whitlock soars to success, retaining his title as olympic champion and winning gold once again

Max Whitlock has won gold once again. Credit: PA

Max Whitlock has soared to success once again and defended his title as Olympic champion by winning gold in the men's pommel horse final in Tokyo.

First up in the eight-man final, Whitlock posted a strong score of 15.583 which significantly eclipsed his qualifying mark of 14.9.

Max Whitlock in action at the pommel horse final. Credit: PA

Whitlock was then forced to wait as the rest of his rivals tried and failed to match his total, with Chinese Taipei’s Chih Kai Lee coming closest on 15.4, and Japan’s Kazuma Kaya Kohei Kameyama taking bronze.

Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan, who qualified with the joint top score alongside Lee, came off the apparatus early and missed out on a medal.

Max Whitlock hugs his coach Scott Hann during the Men's Pommel Horse Final. Credit: PA