Max Whitlock believes Britain’s men can smash gymnastics’ glass ceiling and bag a coveted team medal at the World Championships in Liverpool.
The nation’s most decorated gymnast of all time will be watching from the sidelines as his team-mates try to snap a streak of close shaves on Merseyside.
Britain have finished fourth at the last two Olympics and fifth at the last two World Championships, making them the nearly men of the team event.
Whitlock believes the time has come for Joe Fraser, Jake Jarman, James Hall, Giarnni Regini-Moran and Courtney Tulloch to take that final step.
“These guys have got massive opportunities, massive potentials, every single one of them,” said the triple Olympic champion.
“A platform like these World Championships, that could do them wonders.
“As a team we came second in 2015 but since then we’ve always come fourth or fifth. I really want to see these guys break that mould and get that bronze medal that’s really up for grabs.”
If that isn’t enough, the three nations that reach the podium will secure automatic team and individual qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Britain’s fab five made history in August with Britain’s first European team title since 2012, dominating continental rivals in Munich.
The same line-up delivered gold for Team England at the Commonwealth Games.
Whitlock said: “They all have massive potential to come out with medals, I’m not afraid to say that but it’s all about what happens on the day.
“They need to go there, do their job, do what they know how to do and that can provide a springboard for them to go on and do more.
“This is a real test to see where we’re at. Europeans were massively successful and Commonwealths too, but now you’re up against the world.”
In Whitlock’s absence the leader of the pack is Joe Fraser, who broke new ground for Britain with gold on parallel bars at the 2019 World Championships.
He bounced back from injury to clean up at the Commonwealth Games, and was crowned the nation’s first European all-around champion in Germany.
“For Joe to push through injuries and still come out with medals, it’s because of the ground work he’s put in,” said Whitlock. “He’s a grafter, they all are.
“Joe has been producing results, doing amazing things but everyone has their strengths and together as a team, it’s incredible.”
Sensation surrounds the global debut of Jake Jarman, darling of Birmingham 2022, whose dazzling twists make him one of the favourites for the vault competition.
“Jake is still a young one, he’s still inexperienced,” said Whitlock. “That can work to your favour and put him on a stage like this, if he gets a result, that could be a snowball effect for him moving forward.”
We won’t see Whitlock himself until at least next year - but the plan is to carry on to Paris.
“I want to try and make four Olympic Games, I want to push the boundaries to see where I can get to, where I can push to.
“I’d like to make history, there’s further history to be made for the nation and make a positive impact on the sport.”
The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city. Over 500 gymnasts from more than 70 countries will compete at the M&S Bank Arena from 29 October to 6 November 2022. Tickets are available at www.2022worldgymnastics.com/tickets.
