Three‑time Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games after injuring his hand in training. The 33‑year‑old returned from retirement last year to target a place at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after feeling his career was "unfinished" following a miss at the Paris Games.

In a post on Instagram, Whitlock said he was "incredibly disappointed" and had no choice but to pull out of the Games this summer, as recovery would not be possible before the competition. The Commonwealth Games run from 23 July until 2 August.

Whitlock noted that representing Team England has always meant a huge amount to him and that setbacks are part of sport. He will now focus on recovering properly, supporting the team, and returning stronger.

Whitlock’s career includes three gold medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and four Commonwealth Games golds, including team, all‑around and floor titles in Glasgow 2014 and a team title at the Gold Coast 2018. He is not the only high‑profile athlete missing the Games; Australian backstroke champion Kaylee Mc Keown withdrew earlier with glandular fever.