Tokyo Olympics: Kohei Uchimura & Daiya Seto fail to qualify for finals
- Published
Uchimura: Triple gold medallist gymnast falls off high bar at home Tokyo Olympics
Tokyo Olympic Games on the BBC |
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Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8 |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and Sounds; live text and video clips on BBC Sport website and app. |
Gymnast Kohei Uchimura's bid to end his glittering Olympic career with glory at his home Games ended prematurely after he failed to qualify for the final of the only event he entered.
Widely considered the greatest male gymnast of all time, the 32-year-old lost his grip during his bar routine.
There was also misery for the hosts in the pool when favourite Daiya Seto failed to make the 400m medley final.
But Japan celebrated their first gold, with victory for judoka Naohisa Takato.
The 28-year-old's triumph in the 60kg final against Taiwanese Yang Yung-wei at the Nippon Budokan followed a bronze at Rio 2016 and ensured Japan had reason to celebrate on day one of a Games that many locals have been against hosting.
It was also of some comfort after the earlier disappointment that a fairytale end to Uchimura's gymnastics career was not going to materialise.
A seven-time Olympic medallist, Uchimura was the first man in 44 years to win back-to-back all-around golds at Rio 2016.
His preparations had been far from ideal, only earning a place at the Games via a tiebreaker last month, and with injuries to both shoulders suffered in 2019 having ruled him out of a defence of his all-around crown.
"In the last three Olympic Games I've been able to match the level of performance I'd reached in training - but not this time," Uchimura said.
"I think I've reached my peak. Even getting selected for the Japanese team was hard enough this time."
'King Kohei', who led his country to gold in the team event four years ago, had said he would retire after the Games but on Saturday left the door open.
"It may not be my last competition," said Uchimura, whose country is scheduled to host the world championships in October.
"Let me think about it when I go back tonight."
While these Games are over for Uchimura, swimmer Seto still has other chances of success at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre when he competes in the 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley.
He said he would have to put behind him the disappointment of Saturday's shock exit from the medley, an event where the 27-year-old is the world champion and the top-ranked swimmer.
"I miscalculated and didn't put everything into the race like I did in Rio," said Seto, who won bronze five years ago but finished ninth in his heat here.
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