Gymnast Daiki Hashimoto seeks ‘no-regrets’ performance in Paris
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Defending champion Daiki Hashimoto said he was focused on putting in a performance that he would not look back on with regret.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS – The rivalry between Japan and China may take centre stage in the men’s gymnastics team event at the Olympics, but defending all-around champion Daiki Hashimoto’s main agenda is to leave Paris with no regrets.
The Asian powerhouses are favourites to battle it out for the team gold in the absence of Tokyo Games winners, the Russian Olympic Committee athletes.
While runners-up Japan have collectively set a goal of winning the title this time, Hashimoto is focused on putting in a performance that he would not look back on with regret.
“I understand that the (Japan-China rivalry) is what everyone is interested in,” he said after training alongside Chinese, Ukrainian and other gymnasts at the Bercy Arena venue on July 24.
“But it’s not just Japanese and Chinese athletes here.
“There are athletes from other countries too and I want all of us to have a good tournament.
“I hope that all athletes... will have a Paris Games free of injury and regret, and I’m one of those athletes.”
Japan took the team silver in Tokyo, just 0.103 of a point behind Russia. China won the bronze.
“We (Japan and China) get compared. But if we all put in a performance that we won’t regret, in the end the colour of the medal will simply follow,” Hashimoto added.
He also told reporters not to compare him with gymnastics great Kohei Uchimura as he aims to match his countryman by retaining the all-around title in Paris.
Hashimoto, 22, became the youngest men’s all-around champion in Olympic history when he won gold aged 19 at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Uchimura, who retired in 2022, won successive all-around Olympic titles at London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. He was also part of the Japan team that won gold in Brazil.
“He told me not to think about repeating as Olympic champion,” Hashimoto said of Uchimura.
“He told me the most important thing was for me to give the performance that I wanted to give.
“I really respect him, but I can’t become him – he’s Kohei Uchimura and I’m me.”
Hashimoto added he was happy with his own training and after suffering a finger injury a few months ago, he was back to about 90 per cent fitness.
Meanwhile, when asked about China’s chances against Japan, Tokyo all-around silver medallist Xiao Ruoteng said the teams’ strengths and weaknesses were “fairly balanced”.
“The Japanese team is younger and may have better stamina, but we have more experience,” the Chinese said.
Artistic gymnastics will run from July 27 to Aug 5, with the men’s team final on July 29. REUTERS, AFP
