BASILDON based Max Whitlock has ended a ‘roller coaster’ few days at the World Gymnastics Championships by winning a superb silver medal in the all around final in China.

The 21-year-old, who trains at the South Essex Gymnastics Club, originally missed out on a place in a final after a rare off day during qualification.

But, a wrist injury to his team-mate Nile Wilson, enabled Whitlock to take part.

And he made the most of his second chance by stringing together a series of stunning performances to claim a silver medal.

“It’s been amazing for me and certainly a real roller-coaster of emotions since I’ve been out here,” said Whitlock.

“Qualification was a difficult day and I made a few mistakes.

“But because of that I didn’t expect to be in the final and I think that took the pressure off me out there.

“I knew I was lucky to be out there again and I just concentrated on executing clean routines so to have come away with a silver medal feels fantastic.”

Whitlock started his campaign on the pommel, scoring 16.000, the highest in the final.

He then scored 14.460 on his less-favoured rings and followed that up on the vault, with a terrific 15.366 to put him in silver medal position at the half-way point.

A very strong mark of 14.975 on the parallel bars preceded a steady 14.200 on the high bar before Whitlock made sure of the medal with an impressive 15.466 on the floor.

However, Whitlock opted not to look at the score-board throughout the competition.

“I had no idea where I was or how I needed to perform on the floor at the end to get a medal,” said Whitlock.

“I just concentrate on what I’m doing and luckily enough I was able to produce one of my best ever floor routines.”

That ensured Whitlock finished on 90.473 as he equalled Britain’s best ever result in the championships.

Dan Keating also won silver in 2009 but Whitlock is already eager to get back to training in order to close the gap on his idol, Japan’s Kohei Uchimura,who again won gold.

“For me he’s the best gymnast there’s ever been and he’s a real hero of mine,” said Whitlock.

“His attention to detail is just amazing but it’s clear what I need to work on now and I intend to do so when I get back to training in Basildon.

“But first I will be supporting the rest of the boys in the finals they have coming up.”