There was a consciousness beforehand that Ward could contend here. A bronze maybe. Perhaps adjacent a metallic depending however things go.
His team-mates privately made noises that, should everything autumn successful his favour, golden could beryllium wrong reach. They had seen him successful training, and performed alongside him successful the squad lawsuit connected Friday, wherever Scotland finished fourth.
They knew helium was successful a bully place.
Ward sat seventh aft the level exercise, but streaked into the pb aft a splendid show connected the pommel - routinely his strongest event.
He retained that vantage aft the rings - by which constituent assorted Team Scotland officials and members of the Scottish media had arrived successful dribs and drabs, with the sniff of a golden successful the air.
Ward's vault had been compromised successful the squad lawsuit by a flimsy contented successful his tally up - helium had to accommodate it connected the alert and could lone execute 2 twists - but helium nailed it this time, performing 3 to spell into the last 2 rotations apical of the standings.
A beardown showing successful the parallel bars - and a judicious Team Scotland entreaty to adhd an other 0.100 - maintained his pb astatine 0.550, meaning helium needed to support his signifier successful the horizontal barroom to clinch gold.
Ward did that and more.
As helium stuck his landing, his manager Jake Seager fell to his knees celebrating earlier the 2 embraced. It wasn't authoritative yet, but they knew.
"I similar to ideate the champion script imaginable and that was winning," added Ward erstwhile asked what helium was reasoning arsenic his caput deed the pillow connected Saturday night.
"It kept maine awake a small spot due to the fact that I was picturing it and feeling the emotions. But this bushed the expectations by a mile.
"Falling abbreviated connected Friday was heart-breaking and I'm conscionable truthful overwhelmed, man. I tin hardly enactment words together."
It could get adjacent better. He goes successful the floor, rings and pommel connected Monday, and is simply a existent medal contender successful the later.
His celebrations volition person to hold for now, but by Tuesday, Ward could good beryllium getting up to each sorts of capers successful Glasgow with his Scotland team-mates.
"Tonight looks similar eating edifice nutrient and astir apt getting a beauteous atrocious night's sleep," helium said. "Then I'll travel successful tomorrow, and effort to unbend and deed my routine.
"On Tuesday, aft the competition, I'll observe large clip with the team, with my boys. I emotion them truthful overmuch and them coming to spot maine astatine the extremity erstwhile I was going astir of the arena was special.
"I'm hoping we'll get to acquisition a spot of Glasgow.. "
English (US)·