As 2016 draws to a close, we're taking a look back at some standout moments in our Best of 2016 series. Today we are celebrating the best men's athletes of this Olympic year.

3. Max Whitlock, Great Britain

Whitlock had a historic year not only for himself but also for Great Britain as a whole. At the Olympics, he earned Great Britain's first all-around medal in 108 years by taking home the bronze and then continued his momentum into event finals. Britain had never won an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics before Whitlock took the floor. In a span of about an hour, Whitlock gave the British two golds when he won both floor and pommel horse. He is a dynamic athlete, and we are excited to see what he does in the years to come.

2. Oleg Verniaiev, Ukraine

Verniaiev has been growing into one of the world's top athletes over the past few years. He made a huge splash at the Olympic Games when he took the silver medal in the all-around and put pressure on Kohei Uchimura. In the all-around competition, Verniaiev answered every time it seemed King Kohei threw down a challenge. Verniaiev even managed to solidify a commanding lead going into the final event on high bar but ultimately took home the silver. Verniaiev's gymnastics is a pleasure to watch with his huge difficulty combined with impeccable form.

1. Kohei Uchimura, Japan

Uchimura is nothing short of a true master of this sport. He has been at the top of the game for seven straight years, winning every world all-around title in that span and back-to-back Olympic all-around titles. This year, he arrived in Rio as the overwhelming favorite for all-around gold, and he came through once again, becoming the first man in nearly 50 years to repeat as Olympic champion. Uchimura also led Japan to a team gold, edging out China for the victory. There is no doubt that Uchimura reigns as the best male athlete on the planet right now.


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