The 7-time Olympic medal winner, Kohei Uchimura has failed to qualify for an event finals after falling on high-bar. It was a heartbreaking incident, to say the least.
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The Japanese star was expected to bring glory for his country in what will be his last appearance at the Olympic stages. But his campaign ends in a disastrous manner instead.
The fact that the Olympics is going on in Tokyo makes Uchimura’s disappointment even more painful. Fans are gutted that they will miss out on the legendary gymnast on the finals of the high-bar. He is widely regarded as the greatest male gymnast of all time.
https://twitter.com/NewsForAllUK/status/1418823863404830744
Heartbreak for Kohei Uchimura! 💔🇯🇵
The seven-time Olympic medalist can’t end his career in fairytale fashion after a fall in horizontal bar qualifying…#Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/EQfXk9xuBH
— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 24, 2021
Really feel for Kohei Uchimura, really went for it but just slipped out of his grasp.#Tokyo2020 #Olympics #BBCOlympics #Gymnastics #MensGymnastics pic.twitter.com/x98brWTiIP
— #OlympicsEternal (@OlympicsEternal) July 24, 2021
Apart from his accolades in the Olympics in the previous years, Uchimura is also a 21-time world medalist. To add to fans’ dismay, not only has he missed the finals of the horizontal bars, but he has also decided to skip the parallel bars altogether.
The 32-year-old was a specialist in the horizontal bars event. So, needless to say, it was truly shocking to see him bow out of the event like that.
Is this the end of the road for Kohei Uchimura at the Olympics?
Uchimura has been competing at the Olympic level since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He managed to win a silver medal on that occasion. He has been a true example of a top professional in his domain so far.
However, it was imminent before the 2020 Olympics even commenced that this will be the Japanese star’s last ever appearance at the grandest stage of them all.
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TOKYO, JAPAN – MAY 20: Kohei Uchimura of Japan competes on the rings during day two of the 57th Artistic Gymnastics NHK Trophy at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on May 20, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Known as ‘King Kohei’ for his incredible expertise in gymnastic events over the years, Uchimura was hands down one of the best ever to grace the sport of gymnastics.
But unfortunately, his great career comes to an anti-climactic end. He bows out of the mega stage, having been an active participant across four Olympics.
Not only was this a huge setback for Uchimura on a personal level, but he was someone the host country was looking up to for at least one medal in the event. Those hopes suffered a huge blow as well at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.