Smith settles for silver but is saving big routine for Olympics

By Sportsbeat staff 

LOUIS Smith claimed he was holding back but still admitted there was work to do after settling for silver at the European Gymnastics Championships in Montpellier.

SECOND: Louis Smith settled for silver in the pommel horse final at the European Gymnastics Championships - Hungary's Kristian Berki took gold (Getty Images)

Smith, the Olympic bronze medallist in Beijing, had high hopes going into the pommel horse final after impressing during qualification.

But Hungary's Kristian Berki, his biggest rival for gold at London 2012, pipped him with the final routine of the competition.

“The routine was alright, it was a little bit shaky with a lot of pressure on but I’ve gone clean again," said Smith, who was part of the gold medal winning British squad in Saturday's team final. 

"A little bit of form break may have cost me the medal but overall I’m happy.

"The week has been superb for British gymnastics with the team title, so to add a silver to that wraps it up nicely. 

"I went for my easier routine today which was the sensible decision. 

"I’ve proved this week I’m capable of big scores so it puts me in a confident mood going forward.”

Elsewhere, Daniel Purvis pulled out of the floor final due to illness where Kristian Thomas just missed out on the medals in fourth.

Thomas also placed eighth in the vault, two places behind British team-mate Ruslan Panteyleymonov in sixth.

Max Whitlock was the other British individual apparatus finalist, claiming sixth in Smith's pommel horse final.

© Sportsbeat 2012