This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/29/max-whitlock-gymnastics-kohei-uchimura-world-championships

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Max Whitlock: entertainment strictly limited to the gymnastics arena Max Whitlock’s entertainment strictly limited to the gymnastics arena
(about 4 hours later)
Max Whitlock talks so plainly and simply that, when the moment comes, it seems fitting he should respond with a quiet “thank you.” We’ve gone off-script and, rather than me listening to the 21-year-old gymnast outline his soaring ambitions so calmly, I’ve started to ramble about the perils of sporting celebrity and Saturday evening television. It is usually best for an old interviewer to keep his mouth shut, except when asking the questions, but it feels appropriate to commend Whitlock for his stark approach. Max Whitlock talks so plainly and simply that, when the moment comes, it seems fitting he should respond with a quiet “thank you”. We’ve gone off-script and, rather than me listening to the 21-year-old gymnast outline his soaring ambitions so calmly, I’ve started to ramble about the perils of sporting celebrity and Saturday evening television. It is usually best for an old interviewer to keep his mouth shut, except when asking the questions, but it feels appropriate to commend Whitlock for his stark approach.
Whitlock, who has already won two Olympic medals, as well as eight at the Commonwealth Games and six in the European championships, could follow Louis Smith, his far more famous fellow gymnast, into light entertainment. It is also easy to imagine Whitlock emulating Tom Daley by using his good looks and charm to forge a parallel life on television. These days, lucrative “career opportunities” often mean that an Olympian plunges into reality shows such as Splash, Tumble and Strictly Come Dancing while dipping in and out of training.Whitlock, who has already won two Olympic medals, as well as eight at the Commonwealth Games and six in the European championships, could follow Louis Smith, his far more famous fellow gymnast, into light entertainment. It is also easy to imagine Whitlock emulating Tom Daley by using his good looks and charm to forge a parallel life on television. These days, lucrative “career opportunities” often mean that an Olympian plunges into reality shows such as Splash, Tumble and Strictly Come Dancing while dipping in and out of training.
So, after almost an hour in which he has spoken about his searing commitment, while stressing his hope of enduring achievement and the inspiration he draws from the current Olympic and world champion, his Japanese “hero”, Kohei Uchimura, arguably the greatest gymnast in history, Whitlock emerges as a strong presence. I am so impressed that I succumb to a monologue about how right he has been to immerse himself in a single-minded desire to improve as a gymnast. So, after almost an hour in which he has spoken about his searing commitment, while stressing his hope of enduring achievement and the inspiration he draws from the current Olympic and world champion, his Japanese “hero”, Kohei Uchimura, arguably the greatest gymnast in history, Whitlock emerges as a strong presence. I am so impressed I succumb to a monologue about how right he has been to immerse himself in a single-minded desire to improve as a gymnast.
“Thank you,” Whitlock says, knowing that he does not need to add any more flowery words. He has already said he aims to fulfil his coach Scott Hann’s prediction that Whitlock will become a “legend” of British sport – an Olympian who looks to Chris Hoy and Steve Redgrave rather than Bruce Forsyth or Vernon Kay. “Thank you,” Whitlock says, knowing he does not need to add any more flowery words. He has already said he aims to fulfil his coach Scott Hann’s prediction that Whitlock will become a “legend” of British sport – an Olympian who looks to Chris Hoy and Steve Redgrave rather than Bruce Forsyth or Vernon Kay.
“Definitely, definitely,” Whitlock says in echoing affirmation when asked if Hann has captured his bold objective while using that otherwise loaded word of legend. “I want to go to a number of Olympic Games and go on as long as I can. To be called a legend in any sport is an unbelievable achievement. I’d love to achieve that.”“Definitely, definitely,” Whitlock says in echoing affirmation when asked if Hann has captured his bold objective while using that otherwise loaded word of legend. “I want to go to a number of Olympic Games and go on as long as I can. To be called a legend in any sport is an unbelievable achievement. I’d love to achieve that.”
His medal count at major championships would suggest he is on the path towards making a lasting impact on British gymnastics. “It makes me feel really good and proud,” Whitlock says, when reflecting on his success over the past two years. “And it motivates me even more to go to the world championships [in China this week] and win some more medals for GB.” His medal count at championships would suggest he is on the path towards making a lasting impact on British gymnastics. “It makes me feel really good and proud,” Whitlock says, when reflecting on his success over the past two years. “And it motivates me even more to go to the world championships [in China this week] and win some more medals for GB.”
Whitlock won three gold medals, as well as a silver and a bronze, at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but a more fascinating test awaits when he hopes to improve on last year’s overall fourth place at the world championships. Hann has suggested Whitlock could win four medals in China – a prediction that would have verged on lunacy before London 2012, when GB’s male gymnasts had not won anything at the Olympic Games for the previous hundred years. Everything has since changed and Whitlock smiles when reminded of Hann’s recent claim. Whitlock won three gold medals, as well as a silver and a bronze, at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but a more fascinating test awaits when he hopes to improve on last year’s overall fourth place at the world championships.
“I don’t mind Scott saying that. You have to be ambitious. I’m training as hard as I can but it’s all about hitting the clean routines. Hopefully I can do that. It gives me a lot of confidence that, after every competition, I’m coming back with good results. It chills me out as well. I try to take so much pressure off myself and I’m thinking that this year I’ve got results from the Europeans [winning gold on the pommel horse and silver in the team competition] and the Commonwealths already. Hopefully I will go to the worlds and win some more.” Hann has suggested Whitlock could win four medals in China – a prediction that would have verged on lunacy before London 2012, when GB’s male gymnasts had not won anything at the Olympic Games for the previous 100 years. Everything has since changed and Whitlock smiles when reminded of Hann’s recent claim.
“I don’t mind Scott saying that. You have to be ambitious. I’m training as hard as I can but it’s all about hitting the clean routines. Hopefully I can do that. It gives me a lot of confidence that, after every competition, I’m coming back with good results. It chills me out as well. I try to take so much pressure off myself and I’m thinking this year I’ve got results from the Europeans [winning gold on the pommel horse and silver in the team competition] and the Commonwealths already. Hopefully I will go to the worlds and win some more.”
It is a perennial challenge for the elite sportsman or woman to strip away the intangible possibilities and concentrate on the concrete realities of preparation and performance. “Yeah,” Whitlock agrees, “but you’ve got to enjoy the experience. You don’t want to finish your career and wish you’d enjoyed it more. There’s no point being too intense, so that’s why I try and take a chilled approach.”It is a perennial challenge for the elite sportsman or woman to strip away the intangible possibilities and concentrate on the concrete realities of preparation and performance. “Yeah,” Whitlock agrees, “but you’ve got to enjoy the experience. You don’t want to finish your career and wish you’d enjoyed it more. There’s no point being too intense, so that’s why I try and take a chilled approach.”
Does he use a sports psychologist to control the hidden demons of competition? “No. Me and Scott do it ourselves. We talk if we need to but I keep it pretty simple. I love the feeling of walking out into an arena. It can be overwhelming but it’s an experience you don’t get often. At the Commonwealths I was walking into the arena and getting goosebumps all over my body – that’s an amazing feeling.” Does he use a sports psychologist to control the hidden demons of competition? “No. Me and Scott do it ourselves. We talk if we need to but I keep it pretty simple. I love the feeling of walking out into an arena. It can be overwhelming but it’s an experience you don’t get often. At the Commonwealths I was walking into the arena and getting goose bumps all over my body – that’s an amazing feeling.”
I am more intrigued by Whitlock’s absorption in the standards set by Uchimura. His respect for the defending all-around world champion galvanises him and wipes away the distractions that have sidetracked Smith since they each won two medals for GB at the London Olympics. “Uchimura inspires me and motivates me – because I could watch his gymnastics all day,” Whitlock says passionately. “I met him in 2010 at a Japan Cup competition. I was starstruck seeing him. Honestly, he’s been my idol – always. He’s unbelievable, so to compete alongside him is pretty crazy.” I am more intrigued by Whitlock’s absorption in the standards set by Uchimura. His respect for the defending all-around world champion galvanises him and wipes away the distractions that have sidetracked Smith since they each won two medals for GB at the London Olympics. “Uchimura inspires me and motivates me because I could watch his gymnastics all day,” Whitlock says passionately. “I met him in 2010 at a Japan Cup competition. I was starstruck seeing him. Honestly, he’s been my idol – always. He’s unbelievable, so to compete alongside him is pretty crazy.”
Does Uchimura speak English? “I don’t think so. The Japanese keep themselves very much to themselves but I got to shake his hand and it’s obviously great to meet your idol. It really inspires you to keep training harder. I’m constantly watching his videos on YouTube but the Japanese are very secretive. They don’t put many videos on YouTube because they don’t want any of us to see what they’re doing. Even in training during competition he will come into the gym and sit there for a few hours before he goes out. You hardly ever see him training. He’s 25 and I want him to stick around. I think he wants to carry on to Toyko 2020 and that’s great.”Does Uchimura speak English? “I don’t think so. The Japanese keep themselves very much to themselves but I got to shake his hand and it’s obviously great to meet your idol. It really inspires you to keep training harder. I’m constantly watching his videos on YouTube but the Japanese are very secretive. They don’t put many videos on YouTube because they don’t want any of us to see what they’re doing. Even in training during competition he will come into the gym and sit there for a few hours before he goes out. You hardly ever see him training. He’s 25 and I want him to stick around. I think he wants to carry on to Toyko 2020 and that’s great.”
Whitlock is “honoured” to compete against Uchimura – but can he actually beat the world and Olympic champion? “I really don’t know,” he says, with a laugh. “I’d have to have a perfect day but that’s my target. I’d love to be close to the best gymnast in the world. That would be a massive achievement.” Whitlock is honoured to compete against Uchimura but can he actually beat the world and Olympic champion? “I really don’t know,” he says, with a laugh. “I’d have to have a perfect day but that’s my target. I’d love to be close to the best gymnast in the world. That would be a massive achievement.”
He presumably needs to increase the difficulties of his own routines to close the gap on Uchimura? “Yeah. I have been gradually making my routines more difficult and I’m aiming to add some new moves for the worlds like I did for the Commonwealths. I want to keep pushing that but it’s actually all about perfecting your routines and making sure your dismounts really stick. If you watch Uchimura’s work it’s pretty much perfect and that’s how he gets his scores. He does not have any off days and he’s known for sticking his landings. That’s a big thing. Think of the six apparatus. You take one step on each one and a step can be 3/10ths of a point, so it builds up rapidly. Those little things need a lot of focus in training. He presumably needs to increase the difficulties of his own routines to close the gap on Uchimura? “Yeah. I have been gradually making my routines more difficult and I’m aiming to add some new moves for the worlds, like I did for the Commonwealths. I want to keep pushing that but it’s actually all about perfecting your routines and making sure your dismounts really stick. If you watch Uchimura’s work it’s pretty much perfect and that’s how he gets his scores. He does not have any off days and he’s known for sticking his landings. That’s a big thing. Think of the six apparatus. You take one step on each one and a step can be 3/10ths of a point, so it builds up rapidly. Those little things need a lot of focus in training.
“Last year at the worlds [in Antwerp] I was just a few tenths from a medal [in the all-around competition]. It’s been a massive target of mine and Scott’s to hit the 90-point mark, and to have finally done it twice at the Commonwealths means I’m well happy. I got 90.6 on one of those days – so I only need 4/10ths to get to 91, which is my next goal. If I’d got that 90.6 mark last year I’d have been second at the worlds.”“Last year at the worlds [in Antwerp] I was just a few tenths from a medal [in the all-around competition]. It’s been a massive target of mine and Scott’s to hit the 90-point mark, and to have finally done it twice at the Commonwealths means I’m well happy. I got 90.6 on one of those days – so I only need 4/10ths to get to 91, which is my next goal. If I’d got that 90.6 mark last year I’d have been second at the worlds.”
What did Uchimura score when winning in Antwerp? “91.8 or 91.9. I’ve seen him hit 92.8, which is unbelievable, but someone calculated my best scores during the whole Commonwealths and it was over 91. It’s all about putting it together on one day, which is the hard job, but 91 is my target. If I do that I’ll be very happy.”What did Uchimura score when winning in Antwerp? “91.8 or 91.9. I’ve seen him hit 92.8, which is unbelievable, but someone calculated my best scores during the whole Commonwealths and it was over 91. It’s all about putting it together on one day, which is the hard job, but 91 is my target. If I do that I’ll be very happy.”
Even when he increased his Twitter followers by 10,000 on a single day, after his medal-winning exploits on the pommel horse at London 2012, Whitlock remained composed. Will he ever be seduced by the lure of celebrity? “No,” he insists. “But I love Twitter and the more support we get the better. After I’ve done well in a competition I love having a read because it’s amazing to see all the messages. Television and the rest of it might come after my career is over – but not now. At the moment I just want to focus on gymnastics. I’m training 35 hours a week. All my focus, all my effort, all my time goes into the sport.” Even when he increased his Twitter followers by 10,000 on a single day, after his medal-winning exploits on the pommel horse at London 2012, Whitlock remained composed. Will he ever be seduced by the lure of celebrity? “No,” he insists. “But I love Twitter and the more support we get the better. After I’ve done well in a competition I love having a read because it’s amazing to see all the messages. Television and the rest of it might come after my career is over but not now. At the moment I just want to focus on gymnastics. I’m training 35 hours a week. All my focus, all my effort, all my time goes into the sport.”
Has Smith, who won silver on the pommel horse at the London Olympics, been shocked by Whitlock’s progress – for the younger man is now the dominant presence in British gymnastics? “Um … ” Whitlock pauses. “I’m not too sure. I couldn’t really answer that one. We’re all putting in the hard work and our team results are proving that.”Has Smith, who won silver on the pommel horse at the London Olympics, been shocked by Whitlock’s progress – for the younger man is now the dominant presence in British gymnastics? “Um … ” Whitlock pauses. “I’m not too sure. I couldn’t really answer that one. We’re all putting in the hard work and our team results are proving that.”
Does he talk much to Smith? “I haven’t chatted to him for a while but when he’s back in the team we welcome him back. Gymnastics is a friendly sport you know. Who deserves to get in the team gets in.”Does he talk much to Smith? “I haven’t chatted to him for a while but when he’s back in the team we welcome him back. Gymnastics is a friendly sport you know. Who deserves to get in the team gets in.”
While Whitlock and the GB team have been training at Lilleshall, preparing hard for China, Smith has hung out in Ibiza while being splashed all over the tabloids. Whitlock points out that his own life is very simple, with the only real upheaval being the positive decision after the Commonwealths to finally leave his family home in Hemel Hempstead and move in with his girlfriend of seven years, Leah Hickton, whose sister is married to Hann. Whitlock and Hickton started going out when he was 14 and they were both training at the same south Essex gym. They now live together in Basildon. While Whitlock and the GB team have been training at Lilleshall, preparing hard for China, Smith has hung out in Ibiza while being splashed all over the tabloids. Whitlock points out his own life is very simple, with the only real upheaval being the positive decision after the Commonwealths to finally leave his family home in Hemel Hempstead and move in with his girlfriend of seven years, Leah Hickton, whose sister is married to Hann. Whitlock and Hickton started going out when he was 14 and they were both training at the same south Essex gym. They now live together in Basildon.
“It’s great,” he says. “I’ve also cut my daily travel time from an hour to 10 minutes, so I can stay chilled because we’re just around the corner from the gym. Leah misses competing but she loves coaching and she’s now got a really talented young group. It’s quite ambitious but we would like to have our own gymnastics centre one day. Even in south Essex we have over a year’s waiting list for kids wanting to join. The sport is really taking off.”“It’s great,” he says. “I’ve also cut my daily travel time from an hour to 10 minutes, so I can stay chilled because we’re just around the corner from the gym. Leah misses competing but she loves coaching and she’s now got a really talented young group. It’s quite ambitious but we would like to have our own gymnastics centre one day. Even in south Essex we have over a year’s waiting list for kids wanting to join. The sport is really taking off.”
As we leave the gym in Lilleshall, Whitlock opens an envelope while we chat about China. He is initially shocked to hear that Google and Twitter are banned in China. “Oh no!” he exclaims. “What about Instagram?”As we leave the gym in Lilleshall, Whitlock opens an envelope while we chat about China. He is initially shocked to hear that Google and Twitter are banned in China. “Oh no!” he exclaims. “What about Instagram?”
Before we get too embroiled in a discussion about China and draconian censorship, Whitlock shows me the letter he has just removed from the envelope. It is his invitation to this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Before we get too embroiled in a discussion about China and draconian censorship, Whitlock shows me the letter he has just removed from the envelope. It is his invitation to this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
“I’ve never been before,” he says before I suggest that, especially if he performs well this week, he might go to the ceremony as one of the 10 shortlisted athletes of the year. He just needs to win a few of those four world championship medals his coach has predicted. “Yeah,” he says, grinning helplessly as he briefly breaks his concentrated rule not to look too far ahead in his quest to become a gymnastic legend. “That would be amazing.” “I’ve never been before,” he says before I suggest , especially if he performs well this week,he might go to the ceremony as one of the 10 shortlisted athletes of the year. He just needs to win a few of those four world championship medals his coach has predicted. “Yeah,” he says, grinning helplessly as he briefly breaks his concentrated rule not to look too far ahead in his quest to become a gymnastic legend. “That would be amazing.”