Sawt Falasteen - Gymnastics star Whitlock eyes fairytale Olympic farewell

Whitlock, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, arrives in the French capital on an emotional last tour of Olympic duty following his decision to retire after the Olympics.

The 31-year-old won two gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and successfully defended the pommel horse title in Tokyo three years ago.

Having started his Olympic journey with two bronze medals at the London Games in 2012, Whitlock is relishing the chance to bow out in style.

"I can't wait. My fourth Olympic Games feels surreal. I am mega-excited," he said.

Whitlock made history by becoming Britain's first Olympic gold medallist in artistic gymnastics eight years ago.

He is also a three-time world champion, a four-time European champion and a four-time Commonwealth Games champion.

With such a glittering CV -- which includes an MBE and an OBE for services to gymnastics -- Whitlock struggles to pick the highlight of his golden career.

"It is really hard to compare the emotions when you compare those four different Olympics. I think every Olympic Games in itself is different," he said.

"I think at London 2012, I was 19 years old, unexpected to produce anything and just going a lot for the experience to see where it could take me afterwards.

"I went to then having a bit of pressure on my shoulders for Rio, then a lot of pressure on my shoulders for Tokyo.

"Of course, there is a lot of pressure for Paris, but I feel like having announced it is my last one, I just want to go and give it my best shot."

First introduced to gymnastics aged seven, Whitlock was burnt out by the demands of the sport when he walked away after the Tokyo Games in 2021.

"I felt like I had a lot on my shoulders, and I almost started to fear failure in terms of moving forwards," he said.

But he was inspired to compete in the Olympics again after his young daughter started learning about the event at school.

Willow, aged five, will be cheering her father on from the stands as he aims to become the first gymnast to win four Olympic medals on the same apparatus.

"I never wanted to send a message down of quitting because of the fear of moving forwards or anything like that," he said in a recent Olympics.com interview.

"Willow's got the opportunity to come to watch the Olympic Games rather than just watching old videos on YouTube or anything like that.

"I think that's what feels really good for me to be able to give that experience to Willow, to know that I'm pushing myself out of my comfort zone here."

When he thinks back to his early experiences of the sport at the Sapphire school of gymnastics in Hemel Hempstead, even Whitlock would have struggled to envisage the success he has enjoyed.

But those childhood dreams of Olympic success came true and now a fairytale ending is in his sights.

"I think the huge motivation now, I think it goes without saying, is retaining titles," Whitlock said.

"That would be the absolute dream, and hopefully I can make that dream a reality."

H.Darwish--SF-PST