World Gymnastics: Max Whitlock to replace Nile Wilson in all-around
- Published
2014 World Gymnastics Championships |
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Venue: Nanning, China; Dates: 3-13 October 2014; Coverage: Daily highlights of the team and individual apparatus finals - 12:00 BST on Red Button and 15:00-17:15 on BBC Two from 7-10 October; 14:20-15:50 on 11 October (BBC One) and 16:00-17:30 on 12 October (BBC Two) |
Commonwealth champion Max Whitlock will compete in the World all-around final after Great Britain team-mate Nile Wilson withdrew with a wrist injury.
Whitlock, 21, achieved the top-24 position needed to reach the final in last Friday's qualifying session.
However, with each nation only permitted to enter two athletes, he was due to miss out after scoring a total lower than Dan Purvis and Wilson.
Wilson hopes to recover in time to compete in Sunday's high bar final.
With athletes earning qualifying berths in the all-around final, rather than named places, British Gymnastics could have selected Whitlock - who was fourth in last year's World Championship final - ahead of Wilson.
However, head coach Eddie Van Hoof told the BBC on Saturday that they would not consider this as Wilson and Purvis had "earned" their places.
British Gymnastics confirmed in a statement, external that Wilson has been "carrying a sore wrist through the competition" and was withdrawn from the all-around final in the interest of his long-term gymnastics career.
"I'm obviously very disappointed," said Wilson, who helped the British men to a historic fourth-placed finish in Tuesday's team final.
"My wrist was pretty sore today so I made the decision to pull out and save myself for the high bar final.
"I'll be right behind Max and Dan Purvis in the all-around and can't wait for the high bar on Sunday."
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