Tears of joy for Wilson after historic bronze medal

Nile Wilson confessed he was almost too emotional for words as he added to Team GB's record-breaking gymnastics success by winning bronze in the men's high-bar final.

Scoring 15.466 points with his near-perfect routine, the 20-year-old from Pudsey, Leeds, punched the air with both fists as he landed the performance, but his reaction soon turned to tears as the final result was announced.

"Everyone knew it was tears of pride and tears of happiness," he said. "My family were out there in the stands bawling their eyes out and I think that set me off.

"It is difficult to put into words how I am feeling right now. I have loads of emotion and I certainly let it show up there on the podium."

It is an Olympic category that Britain has never before achieved a medal in, but Wilson, who has been training since the age of five, made history for the country on Tuesday evening.

Describing Team GB's stunning gymnastics success on Tuesday, he said it was an evening of "inspiration after inspiration" and added: "It is incredible. It is the seventh medal for British gymnastics and it has surpassed all expectations."

But while his coach and supporters back home in Leeds were amazed by his success, they were not altogether surprised.

Dave Murray, who has been Wilson's personal coach at Leeds Gymnastics Club for the last five years, said at least 100 people gathered at the gym and "screamed and cheered" as the results were announced.

He said: "I was confident he could do it, but to get an Olympic medal is what we have all dreamed about.

"We had at least 100 people here and they all went crazy, all screaming and cheering, and there will be at least 100 more waiting to shake his hand and congratulate him when he comes back."

It is no surprise that Wilson's supporters were confident. At the World Championships last year he helped the British team win silver, but his most recent personal success was winning gold on the high-bar at the 2016 European Championships.