Japan Triumphs in Men’s Gymnastics as China Falters

AFP/APP

Paris:  In a dramatic turn of events at the Paris Olympics, Japan clinched the gold medal in the men’s team gymnastics competition after a surprising stumble by China in the final rotation.

Daiki Hashimoto delivered a stunning performance to secure Japan’s eighth team title, making amends for their narrow loss to Russia at the Tokyo Games.

Japan edged out China, who took silver, with the United States finishing in bronze. Britain rounded out the top four.

China entered the final rotation as the clear favorite, having dominated the qualifiers. However, a crucial error by Su Weide on the horizontal bars opened the door for Japan. Su’s two falls allowed Hashimoto to take center stage and perform a near-perfect routine, earning Japan the gold by a margin of just 0.532 points, with an overall score of 259.594.

Hashimoto, known for his remarkable endurance and nicknamed “Mr. Infinite Stamina,” was visibly emotional following his performance. “I had a lot of things on my mind, but when I got onto the stage, I just concentrated on my performance. I felt the rest of the team was all behind me; they had my back. They pushed me on to the stage,” he said, fighting back tears.

Teammates Kazuma Kaya, Shinnosuke Oka, Wataru Tanigawa, and Takaaki Sugino joined Hashimoto on the podium to celebrate the victory. This win marks Japan’s first team gold since the Rio 2016 Games, filling the void left by Russia’s absence due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In contrast, China’s team was left grappling with disappointment. Su Weide expressed his regret, saying, “Today taught me a big lesson. I feel sorry for my teammates. Because of my errors, we didn’t win the gold medal.” Zhang Boheng, another key member of the Chinese team, echoed these sentiments, reflecting on their performance with frustration despite their earlier strong showing.

China’s lead, built on impressive routines by Zou Jingyuan and others, was undone in the final moments, with Japan capitalizing on the opportunity. Hashimoto’s final effort was a defining moment, propelling Japan to victory and leaving the Chinese team to rue what might have been.

With this victory, Japan sets the stage for the upcoming artistic gymnastics events in Paris, where Simone Biles and the U.S. team will look to add to their impressive track record.