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Commonwealth Games: Late call-up Tyson Bull overcomes injury to secure incredible silver on horizontal bar

Bryce LuffThe West Australian
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Aussie gymnast Tyson Bull has delivered one of Australia’s gutsiest gymnastics medals in the final of an event he wasn’t even originally set to compete in.
Camera IconAussie gymnast Tyson Bull has delivered one of Australia’s gutsiest gymnastics medals in the final of an event he wasn’t even originally set to compete in. Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

Tyson Bull has delivered one of Australia’s gutsiest gymnastics medals in the final of an event he wasn’t even originally set to compete in.

Bull bravely overcame an ankle injury to deliver silver in the final of the men’s horizontal bar.

Incredibly, the 29-year-old had not qualified for the final and was a late call-up after fellow Australian Jesse Moore was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.

Clay Mason Stephens was set to step in as an alternate for Moore but he instead allowed Bull, a finalist in the discipline at the Tokyo Olympics, to take the spot.

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And what a decision it was.

With Royal Prince William, wife Kate and their daughter Charlotte watching on, Bull — hampered by an ankle injury — delivered when it mattered, scoring 14.233.

It was clear he was in pain, with Bull grimacing after sticking his dismount but holding it together to post a serious score.

“Clay Stephens having the biggest heart in the world, (it was) just such a selfless act for him to offer that spot to give me a chance on my pet event,” Bull said.

“There’s no chance I was making the same mistake twice. I was gonna put it on my feet no matter how much it hurt.”

Having gone first in the final, Bull then had to sweat as seven other finalists followed. Among them was fellow Australian Mitchell Morgans.

Morgans was solid, delivering a score of 14.100 and held bronze, with only Scotland’s Hamish Carter and Cyprus athlete Ilias Georgiou to go.

It was the latter, going last, who proved clutch with a score of 14.466 to capture gold, pushing Bull into second and Morgans out of the medals.

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