Dominick Cunningham ensured there was a golden ending for Britain’s gymnasts at the Glasgow 2018 European Championships on the final day of competition yesterday, taking victory in impressive style in the floor final.

However, there was disappointment for double Olympic champion Max Whitlock who was outside of the medals on the pommel horse finishing in seventh position.

Cunningham was far from the out-and-out favourite going into the floor final but with a number of the opening gymnasts stumbling during their routines, there was an opening for the 23-year-old from Birmingham. And he took full advantage, executing his routine with few flaws for a score of 14.666 which was enough to grab top spot on the podium ahead of Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat.

It was the perfect start to the day for the home crowd at the SSE Hydro and Cunningham, who had, until now at least, been known as a vault specialist, admitted his floor victory came as something of a surprise.

“I was first reserve (for the vault final) after falling on my bum but that’s gymnastics,” he said.

“So I had one final and I thought: ‘lets do it’. I competed in the team final with a great floor routine but it’s always a doubt if you can do it again. Yes I can is the answer.

"I’m happy to walk away from that competition because it was scary towards the end. I hit my routine and that’s the best I can do. To come away as a European champion is a bonus.”

It was a far more disappointing day for Whitlock. The 25-year-old has had a poor year by his incredibly high standards, winning only one individual medal - silver on the pommel horse - at the Commonwealth Games in April. And that form continued with the Englishman making it through to only one individual final yesterday.

After a solid start on the pommel horse, Whitlock faltered, coming off mid-routine which eliminated him from medal contention. However, he was able to look at things philosophically and focus on the bigger picture which is ensuring he is at his best come the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

"It's one of those days again, hopefully there won't be many of more of these days when I'm going into Games and making mistakes," he said.

"I know people will look at it like I went to the Commonwealths and didn't get what I wanted and then I made a mistake here, but the second half of my routine was one of the cleanest I've ever competed with a new skill.

"I can look to the positives all the time and the difference here is I scored 14 with a one-point deduction for the falls so I know what I need to work on and it was just one of those days.

"I felt quite calm. A lot of times I can stand there and feel hands shaking, but I had the mindset of going all out, but it just didn't work. I couldn't tell you why. I went up to fast, shoulders up and then I was on the pommel. I'd like to say it was nerves, but it wasn't."

And Whitlock insists he will move on quickly from this setback rather than dwell on his performance.

"I won't obsess about it. I'm in this for the long journey. I'm hoping to go to two more Olympic Games and many more major champs and this is one of them along the way.

"I've got to go back use this as motivation and push harder for the next one and hopefully this won't happen again.

"I'm trying to mirror what I did on the four-year cycle before Rio.

"If you look back, I made mistakes in the Europeans and the Worlds. Not that I'm trying to, but if you look back at 2014 I had the three majors again and that was really tough.

"I need to make sure I have a complete break at the end of the year and come back better next year."

Gold on the pommel horse was won by Irishman Rhys McClenaghan, who also took gold at the Commonwealth Games. The 19-year-old, who has been forced to train in his back garden at times due to a lack of support in his home country, was close to flawless in yesterday’s final and revealed that he hopes to continue this winning form into the World Championships in October.

“It’s incredible to crowned European champion,” the teenager said.

“It was a dream to be in that final with so many great names I’ve looked up to since I started gymnastics. To take that top spot on the podium is a pretty good feeling.

“I said that after Commonwealth Games that my target was to get the world title. And I meant it. I will go to the World championships in Doha with every intention of getting that gold medal.”

Elsewhere Courtney Tulloch won bronze for GB on the rings.