Comments from Team GB’s artistic gymnasts after the men’s team final at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.
Result: Team GB – represented by Max Whitlock, Joe Fraser, James Hall and Giarnni Regini-Moran – finished 4th in the men’s team final, the same position as at Rio 2016, after scoring 255.760 points. They were 6.134 points behind China in bronze (261.894) while the Russian Olympic Committee took gold with 262.500 and Japan won silver.
Max Whitlock
Age: 28 Hometown: Hertfordshire: Hemel Hempstead
Result: Whitlock competed on the high bar (13.3660) and then scored 14.966 on the pommel horse on the final rotation with a routine that had a mammoth 7.000 difficulty to lift Team GB above USA into 4th. He competes in the individual pommel horse final on Sunday.
On his approach heading into his pommel horse routine
“I didn’t know what the scores were, how big the gap was or where we were placed. I do that on purpose because I have my plan, I come in and we all knew we were going all out today to do the big routines.
“I was asking at the end to find out, out of curiosity, how close first and second were because I didn’t have a clue.
“I didn’t know where we were placing because I don’t look at scores. I’ve done it throughout my whole career because it’s something I can’t control.
“I’ve worked a long time and learned a lot of things to get the most out of me at the right time.
“I don’t want to do loads of training and then see loads of scores coming in and think ‘I need to beat that score’.
“I need to do my plan and do the best score I can do, personally. That helps me stay in my lane and focus on what I can do."
On finishing fourth
“Getting into the medals was always going to be hard – those three teams have showed so much strength throughout the cycle. We knew there was a gap there but that we were top five. We proved that today, we put a lot of risk into our routines and it paid off.
“Fourth place is hard, just outside the medals but there was a big gap there, so we can be really pleased with that. It’s a young team – I’m the oldest by a few years – they’ve all become Olympians this time around, so they’re massively proud.
“Fourth place is a really, really high achievement for us – now we can work on it, look at how we can close the gap and push into those medal positions.
“We’ve done it before, so hopefully we can do it again.”
Joe Fraser
Age: 22 Hometown: West Midlands: Birmingham
Result: Competed on all six apparatus: rings (14.500), vault (14.133), parallel bars (14.666), high bar (14.333), floor (13.866) and pommel horse (14.666). He goes in the individual all-around final on Wednesday and the parallel bars final next Tuesday.
On competing in a team final
“Team finals are always very nerve-wracking. For all three people to count on each apparatus, it’s very nerve-wracking.
“You want your best for your friends and your teammates who you class as brothers because you’ve trained together for so long.
“I do feel that pressure because I want to do well for them. Performing under that pressure makes you feel amazing. It’s great fun and being out there with friends you class as family is always great.
On his Olympics so far
“I’m over the moon with my performances so far. I’m trying to take them all in my stride, enjoy the moments.
“Every second I’m out there, I’m trying to make the most of because I’ve done 17 years of gymnastics to get here. For this two-week period, I’m soaking up every second I can.
On his approach for the all-around final
“In the all-around final I plan to enjoy myself, go for broke and see what happens.
“I potentially might upgrade a few apparatus to go all out. I’m going to make sure I’ve got some good rest and recovery for Wednesday.”
Giarnni Regini-Morgan
Age: 22 Hometown: Kent: Gravesend
Result: Competed on four apparatus: rings (13.733), vault (14.666), parallel bars (15.166) and floor (14.533). His performance on p-bars was Team GB's highest score on any apparatus in the final
On his performance
"I was just proud of myself. My aim for today was I wanted to go out there and just give it my all.
"I wanted to do what I know I am capable of doing and I didn't quite showcase that in qualifications. I felt a little bit disappointed with myself.
"Today, I didn't want to make that same mistake. I wanted to come out here and just showcase what I am really made of, so to get that score and to see those results, I'm just super proud.
On his parallel bars routine
"It was always my plan to do that routine, I've been training it. I did it in qualification it, just didn't execute it as good and obviously we knew today it was the team final, if we wanted any chance.
"We all know we can go through the routine and stay on if we wanted to but to really get the best scores we needed to go all out, and I stepped up to each apparatus and just thought do you know what I am going to give this my all and whatever the outcome at least I can say I left everything on the floor.
On his favourite events
"I would say for me personally the floor, vault and parallel bars are my three favourite apparatus.
"They are all a bit up and down, sometimes my vault will be better than the rest, sometimes parallel bars will be better, sometimes the floor. But I would say those three combined are my best apparatus."
Settling into Olympic experience
"I would say I felt a little bit more settled waking up this morning, qualifications day I woke up and I thought ok I am a bit nervous now.
"Today I woke up and felt fine. As soon as I put my arm up for rings, the adrenaline was pumping round, I felt the nerves.
"On every piece I felt the adrenaline and the nerves and probably a little bit of excitement as well but today I managed to keep that under control whereas I think on qualification day I let that get the better of me.
"Today I was like 'Right, just control the nerves and just enjoy the process because this is potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don't want to go back reflect and be like 'I wish enjoyed it, I wish I had done this so today I am happy with my performance, and I left everything out there on the floor."
On supporting his teammates in their individual final
"I'm actually flying home on Wednesday, the IOC's rule is if you finish competing then you have to go home within 48 hours just because of the whole Covid situation.
"So I will definitely be supporting them from home. I will probably be able to see things better on the TV. I will definitely be supporting them from my house."
James Hall
Age: 25 Hometown: Kent: Maidstone
Result: Competed on all six apparatus: rings (13.600), vault (14.233), parallel bars (13.100), high bar (14.200), floor (14.033) and pommel horse (14.000). He goes in the individual all-around final on Wednesday.
On the performance
"We said to each other before the comp, we are going to go out there we are going to go for broke.
"There is no point just trying to get through the routines and scrape through we had to leave everything out there on the floor and in my opinion, I think we did that.
"Fourth-placed finish is nothing to turn your nose up at, so I couldn't be more happy."
On following other sports
"Thinking back to other Olympic Games where you've got Super Saturday and things like that and today was one of those days, golds, silvers, bronzes everywhere and it was just unbelievable and seeing that just before you compete it really gets you going and you want to follow suit.
"I think it lifted us and being in that multi-sport environment, it's just something else you can't compare it, incredible feeling.
Interacting with other athletes
"We've got the Team GB block and we have got everyone in there. There's a TV in the foyer with people watching sport.
"You are often brushing shoulders with people and it's really nice. We know people from other sports and I myself have done Commonwealth Games before, so I have spoken to Tom Daley. It's quite nice to see and it's nice to mingle with those kind of people as well."
On the all-around final
"For me and Joe [Fraser] we always focus on the team final. Today was the day that we wanted to do the best job that we possibly could and go 18 for 18 routines and we did that.
"It wasn't perfect but we did the best we possibly could and going into Wednesday's all-around final I think we can relax a little bit and again go for broke and just enjoy it."
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