Men’s Artistic Gymnastics: Japan’s domination continues
If yesterday was the moment to shine for women, with Simon Biles following up on success during Day Two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to dazzle crowds again on Tuesday as part of the Team US, today was the moment for the men to match the magic in the Artistic Gymnastic Olympics.
In the men’s artistic gymnastics team final Japan returned to the first place podium, and today, in the individuals Over at the Bercy Arena, the men’s all-around final began with the two favourites being Hashimoto Daiki and Zhang Boheng, with Oka Shinnosuke, Jake Jarman, Joe Fraser, and Xiao Ruoteng also in the top group starting on the floor.
A shaky start for Daiki Hashimoto 🇯🇵 and Zhang Boheng 🇨🇳
The two favourites haven’t had the best start to the men’s all-around gymnastics final 🤸♀️
📺 LIVE now on ch. 205 (SA) & ch. 225 (ROA): https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions
pic.twitter.com/I8HNpvT7tU— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 31, 2024
Zhang had a very shaky start, looking wobbly on the landing to his first tumbling pass before losing control of his second and ending up crashing the pass, balancing his body with his head on the mat. 13.233 and he worked to do to make it up. But not just Zhang had issues, Daiki Hashimoto also came off the pommel horse, leaving a door wide open for the top group, and athletes from the second group. After two rotations, the two favourites were 15th (Hashimoto) and 16th (Zhang).
Later, the favourites’ group headed to rings, where Hashimoto struggled again. He put in a solid routine but did not get enough difficulty in his performance, and a score inquiry was rejected. His score of 13.400 almost certainly means he’s out of the running. Zhang Boheng scored 14.600 to haul himself up the standings, but it’s Hashimoto’s teammate Oka Shinnosuke who led at the halfway mark then.
Elsewhere, Félix Dolci of Canada was third after two apparatus but has had a nightmare on the high bar. First, his grip ripped during his first attempt, causing him to fall. He was granted a do-over, but fell during his second attempt, and dropped out of the top three.
The pick of the routines of the fourth rotation was Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun, the 2023 world all-around silver medallist behind Hashimoto (but in the absence of Zhang), on the parallel bars did a rocking 15.400 for the Ukrainian moves him into the top three after four rotation. Also, Oleg Verniaiev, who got 15.000 on parallel bars, put herself in the lead and Oka back in joint-third.
When things were getting to an end, and with the last two rotations on apparatus that favour him, Zhang Boheng knew he always stayed in with a chance of still taking home this men’s all-around title and did his chances a world of good with a hit routine on parallel bars, scoring 15.300. But teammate Xiao Ruoteng and Japan’s Oka Shinnosuke also both hit on parallel bars to remain ahead of him in the all-around scores, with just a high bar left to go.
Illia Kovtun also produced a pretty solid routine sticking the final tumbling pass too, and then went Xiao Ruoteng on the high bar, sitting in second place and with big screams from Chinese fans in the crowd as he readies with a nice routine, landed with a tiny left foot step back. 14.366 for a total of 86.364 to move ahead of Kovtun.
Hashimoto finishes his reign as the Olympic all-around champion with a strong showing on the high bar. Unfortunately the start of his competition today put him in a hole he could not come back from, but it’s a great way to end. The other men in his group acknowledged his performance, Xiao gave him a big hug, while Zhang offered a handshake. 14.400 for a total of 84.598 was putting him fourth with two to go.
Two Olympic titles in three days at his first Games 🥲
Oka Shinnosuke is a #Paris2024 sensation #Gymnastics
pic.twitter.com/NWALyagkzb— FIG (@gymnastics) July 31, 2024
In the end, Japan’s domination continued with the newcomer Oka Shinnosuke, the world all-around champion Zhang Boheng of the People’s Republic of China and Tokyo 2020 all-around champion Hashimoto Daiki to give his nation a fourth-straight win in the event.
The 2019 world junior champion Oka scored 86.832 for gold with Zhang’s 86.599 taking silver. 2017 world champion Xiao Ruoteng of China rounded out the podium with an 86.364. Winner of the past two world titles, Hashimoto was a shocking sixth some 2.234 back of Oka. Hashimoto’s win three years ago came on the back of the legendary Uchimura Kohei’s victories at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Eighth gold for Team Japan
In the team final the past 29 July, Japanese athletes led by Daiki Hashimoto were the favourites who won two golds and a silver at Tokyo 2020, Japan claimed their eighth gold in the men’s Olympic artistic gymnastics team final, something they had not achieved since Rio 2016.
The People’s Republic of China gymnasts, who had won the Olympic crown three times and were coming off top scores in the all-around qualifying for Paris 2024, suffered the two falls of star Su Weide in the final rotation, leaving team-mate Zhang Boheng with no more to put his country ahead of Japan.
Along the way, the United States took advantage and had a memorable close with the performance of former world champion on pommel horse, Stephen Nedoroscik, whose routine was clean through the event to take bronze and knock Great Britain out of the medals.
Biles shined in Paris
The U.S. totalled 171.296, well clear of silver medallists Italy (165.494). Brazil won the bronze, a historic first, with a final score of 164.497. “It feels amazing. We love it, we’re excited,” Biles told Olympics.com afterwards. “We got the job done.”
✨The Best Gymnast in the World.
✨Simone Biles✨ makes history.After a two-year absence, Biles made history at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships, becoming the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault, now named the Biles II, internationally.
👏👏👏🎯 pic.twitter.com/zILF0Fxxmm
— 💎💎💎 (@MilaRoyaleReal) October 2, 2023
It’s the fourth U.S. win in the event, having taken the titles at Atlanta 1996, London 2012 and Rio 2016. Italy’s only other women’s gymnastics team medal came in 1928, a silver in the inaugural staging of the event.
Three years ago, the U.S. finished a stunning second after entering Tokyo as the heavy favourites. Biles withdrew after botching her attempt at a two-and-a-half twisting vault to prioritise her mental health as she dealt with what gymnasts call the ‘twisties,’ where the body and mind fall out of sync.
That finish has motivated her – and fellow Tokyo returners Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Jade Carey. Newcomer Hezly Rivera is the fifth member of the squad. “This is definitely our redemption tour,” said Biles at the recent U.S. Olympic trials. “I feel like we all have more to give… I feel like we have a lot of weight on our shoulders to go out there and prove that we’re better athletes, we’re more mature, we’re smarter, we’re more consistent.”
THAT GIRL IS AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION!!! 🥇
Congratulations Jordan Chiles and Team USA! #GoBruins | #OlympiansMadeHere
pic.twitter.com/ifhtAiS9eV— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) July 30, 2024
The 27-year-old anchored the opening rotation on the vault for her squad with a 14.900, giving the Americans a 44.100 to 42.666 lead over the People’s Republic of China. “This means everything to me. I’m so honored to be on this team and to have been able to contribute today,” said Carey, the Tokyo 2020 floor champion, who told Olympics.com earlier this week she had been dealing with an illness that affected her training and competition.
Tuesday, her 14.800 vault score was just behind Biles. “This week hasn’t exactly gone how I wanted it to, but I’m just grateful that I was able to come out tonight and get the job done and do exactly what this team needed from me.”