Having narrowly missed the men's gymnastics team title by a razor-thin margin at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, Japan is more determined than ever to secure gold at the Paris 2024 Games. With less than a month remaining until the start of the Olympics, the Japanese team is laser-focused on overcoming their biggest rivals, the Chinese mainland, and clinching the coveted top spot on the podium.
The Tokyo Olympics left a bitter taste for Japan, where Russia edged them out by just 0.103 points in the team competition—a result that has deeply motivated the three Japanese gymnasts and their head coach, Hisashi Mizutori. \"We had the bitter experience of losing by the narrowest of margins, by 0.103,\" shared all-around champion Daiki Hashimoto after a recent training session in Tokyo. \"I want us to win that gold and enjoy the view from the podium.\"
Mizutori echoed Hashimoto's sentiments, emphasizing the team's drive fueled by a desire for revenge. \"After losing to Russia by 0.103 in Tokyo, we've been working hard towards Paris,\" he stated. \"This is a big chance for us to grab that medal, so we'll do what we need to do.\"
A victory this summer would mark Japan's eighth team gold in Olympic history. The Japanese team is confident, boasting a well-balanced lineup and a superior collective difficulty score, or D-score, which gives them an edge over the Chinese mainland. Simulations indicate that Japan's D-score surpasses China's, suggesting that Japan's key to success lies in polishing their routines and minimizing mistakes in the final weeks of preparation.
Kazuma Kaya, bronze medalist in the pommel horse at Tokyo, highlighted the team's strength: \"That was quite a surprise, since China had long had a higher D-score than Japan. In that sense, we have the strongest five members this time.\"
Last October, led by Hashimoto, Japan secured gold at the World Championships with a total score of 255.594 points, nearly two points ahead of China—though China's star all-arounder Zhang Boheng did not compete then. With Zhang now part of the Olympic roster, Mizutori cautioned that China remains a formidable contender, leaving little room for error for the Japanese team.
Hashimoto himself is managing a finger injury that limited him to 60 percent capacity during last week's training. \"I don't think the pain will disappear completely, but I want to get as close to 100 percent as possible before Paris,\" he said, aiming to defend his all-around and horizontal bar titles for a total of three golds.
Mizutori likened the Paris squad to the successful Rio 2016 team, which featured a mix of seasoned and new members. \"We have experienced members and new members this time, so it's relatively similar and the balance is really good,\" he explained. \"With Hashimoto leading, we can expect a similar result.\"
The Japanese team, featuring Hashimoto, Kaya, Wataru Tanigawa, Takaaki Sugino, and 20-year-old Shinnosuke Oka, is gearing up for the artistic gymnastics events scheduled from July 27 to August 5, with the men's team final set for July 29.
Reference(s):
Olympics: Japan eye men's team gymnastics gold at Paris 2024
cgtn.com
