Scotland's Reuben Ward has etched his name in history books after becoming the country's first-ever men's all-around gymnastics champion at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The 21-year-old's impressive performance saw him secure the title with a total score of 79.650, just enough to hold off surging Canadian Felix Dolci.
Ward, who has been competing at the highest level, held his nerve and soaked up the adulation of a capacity home crowd as he delivered a string of impressive routines across the six apparatus. His score of 12.7 on the high bar looked certain to be enough, but there were some desperately nervous moments when Dolci rebounded after falling twice during his pommel routine.
Ultimately, a 14.5 for Dolci confirmed his silver medal and enabled Ward to take home the gold. The Manchester-based gymnast was over the moon with his historic success, saying, 'It's an unbelievable feeling. I only found out recently that no Scottish man had ever won the Commonwealth all-around title, so to make that bit of history is incredibly special.'
Ward's success has sent shockwaves through the gymnastics community, with many hailing him as a trailblazer for Scottish gymnasts. As he looks to build on his historic win, Ward has set his sights on defending his title in the floor and pommel finals, with big hopes of bringing home another gold medal for Scotland.
With his historic win, Ward has become a beacon of hope for young gymnasts across Scotland, inspiring a new generation to take up the sport. His achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication that has gone into his training, and he is sure to be a name on everyone's lips in the world of gymnastics for years to come.