Injury robs Nile Wilson from posting even better lasting legacy – Nick Westby

The 24-year-old West Yorkshireman, who yesterday announced his retirement due to injury, was an Olympic bronze medallist in Rio as a mere 20-year-old and a winner of five medals at the Commonwealth Games two years later, three of them gold.

For any athlete, such a haul would be deemed a hugely successful career, and make no bones about it, it is.

But those bones, muscles, tendons too often were injured in such a high-impact sport that Wilson’s decision to bow out leaves a nagging feeling that he and his followers have been robbed of so much more.

Particularly in an Olympic year when Wilson could have added to his medal tally and enhanced his reputation.

Gymnasts often peak earlier than most Olympians, but it is a shame his body would not allow him one more crack at the Games.

Raised on the bars and mats at Leeds Gymnastics Club, Wilson was responsible for swelling the surge in interest at a club that welcomes all ages.

He rose to prominence on a tidal wave of growing interest in gymnastics, sparked by Louis Smith Smith and Beth Tweddle in Beijing and enriched by Team GB’s bronze medal in the team final at London 2012, out of which Max Whitlock emerged as the poster boy.

Whitlock dominated the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, while Wilson announced himself on the global stage with two golds of his own in Scotland.

Whitlock’s double gold medal showing in Rio singled him out as the world’s dominant force with Wilson one of those medalling on his coat-tails with his bronze in a thrilling horizontal bar final in which he forced his way into contention for the Olympic title.

By the time of the 2018 Commonwealth Games he was ready to step into Whitlock’s shoes, leading the team with a five-medal performance, including two gold medals in the space of two hours demonstrating his versatility, focus and level of belief in his ability.

Injuries began to creep in though, forcing him out of major championships and, eventually, the sport.

He leaves with a bit of a sour taste, being the highest profile British gymnast to speak out against the establishment last year when he said he was ‘scared’ to voice his concerns.

There are more facets to Wilson than mere gymnastics, though, the social media-savvy young man creating a huge audience for himself with his v-logging diaries and it is unlikely he will now fade into the shadows.

But his accomplishments on the global stage during that four-year run from 2014-18 will be his lasting legacy, a sequence that marks him out as Yorkshire’s finest gymnast.

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