Max Whitlock beats Louis Smith at British Championships

Max Whitlock beat Louis Smith to take gold in the Masters event at the British Gymnastics Championships at Liverpool's Echo Arena.

Both posted huge pommel scores but Smith had to settle for silver as his 16.1 was bettered by Whitlock's 16.325.

It was a re-run of November's World Championships final, which was also won by Whitlock.

In the senior women's apparatus final, Ellie Downie took gold in the vault and sister Becky won in the beam.

Amy Tinkler topped the podium in the floor event and Gabby Jupp marked her return from injury by winning on the uneven bars.

Whitlock, 23, who won Saturday's all around competition with a massive personal best score of 92.7 also took gold on the floor, silvers in the high bar and parallel bars events and bronze on the rings.

Claudia Fragapane, who won her all around event - also with a lifetime best of 58.1 - had to settle for silver in the vault, beam and floor events.

Completing the men's Masters winners were Courtney Tulloch on the rings, Ashley Watson on the parallel bars, Nile Wilson in the high bar, and junior Giarnni Regini-Moran in the vault.

Analysis

Former British gymnast Craig Heap: "There are real positives, from both the men and the women, and one of the things which really stood out was how impressive the juniors were.

"It was nice to see, on the women's side, some of the old faces returning to form and from injury, Rebecca Tunney for example. They've got work to do to get in the team but if we get that experience in the team we could push for a team medal.

"In the men's side, we've an opportunity for lots of Olympic medals, not just one. Max Whitlock has the potential to push Japan's Kohei Uchimura. We have an Olympic champion in the making and if you've got three shots at a title, the odds are in your favour."