Olympics-Gymnastics-Germany's Nguyen all smiles after silver

LONDON Aug 1 (Reuters) - After overcoming a shaky start and a nagging sense of self-doubt, Marcel Nguyen smiled in disbelief as he touched the silver medal hanging around his neck - proof that he had won Germany's first men's all-around Olympic medal since 1936.

As the last gymnast in action on Wednesday, the humble 24-year-old had an agonising wait after his floor routine, staring up at the screen for his score to be posted before his podium finish was confirmed.

"It's amazing. A dream came true today and I'm just happy to have this medal around my neck," Nguyen, who is half-Vietnamese and was born in Munich, said.

Nguyen reeled in the silver medal after a weak start on the pommel horse.

German coach Andreas Hirsch called Nguyen's performance "stunning" and said it had left him speechless after some rocky patches characterised by a lack of confidence.

"Marcel was the one who doubted himself the most because he was scared, because he had a couple of difficulties, and he was a bit sceptical that he was going to advance," Hirsch said.

Nguyen, who four years ago in Beijing failed to secure a place in the final of the same event but finished eighth in the 2011 world championships, agreed that he lacked self-belief at times.

"It's how I am," he told reporters.

"I had a difficult start, it was my apparatus where I'm weak, and I started with that and I came from the back of the field, from apparatus to apparatus (to get) nearer to the top."

The beaming gymnast has "Pain is Temporary Pride is Forever" tattooed across his chest and it is a mantra that helped him to come back after he broke his leg in a competition two years ago.

On Wednesday, Nguyen, spotted his girlfriend among the crowd in the North Greenwich Arena but he was unsure if his mother and sister had managed to secure tickets to the event.

Any celebrations with his family and friends, however, would have to wait.

"I have (apparatus) finals left. After the finals I will give a party," said Nguyen, who will compete for more medals on the parallel bars and floor from Sunday. (Reporting by Sarah Young, editing by Pritha Sarkar)