Since winning his first all-around world title in 2009, Uchimura has swept all the all-around gold medals both in the world championships and Olympic Games.
Advertisement
Favourite Uchimura, who also won team gold with Japan in Rio, became the first gymnast in 44 years to win back-to-back Olympic all-around titles.
“I devote myself to this event”.
In a tense moment as Verniaiev waited for his score, he thought he might have edged out his Japanese rival.
There was also drama in the race for the gold medal as Verniaiev, who had led since the third rotation, missed out on the title by a margin of 0.101 points after hopping forward when dismounting off the high bar.
Whitlock had the luxury of opening the final on his favoured pommel horse, where he is widely expected to go head to head with his Great Britain team-mate Louis Smith for gold in one of the two individual finals, along with floor, he will contest early next week.
Beth Tweddle, who won Olympic bronze on the uneven bars in 2012, said: “Max held his nerve”.
‘I never knew where I was placing at all.
“To get all six pieces right is a very tough job and there was a lot of pressure going into today, but I had to take it step by step”. I’ve come third to two outstanding gymnasts. Uchimura trailed heading into the final rotation, but put up a dazzling 15.8 on high bar. “I tried not to look at his performance”. I just want to be as close as possible to beat him.
‘It’s the third time I’ve been in there this week.
“I don’t think I am well-known in the world”. It has all been in pursuit of Olympic medals to add to the two bronzes he won at London.
Uchimura, the son of two gymnasts and who took up the sport at the age of three, sounded tired from all the preparation put into reaching the Olympics every four years – not to mention the wear and tear on his body. David Belyavskiy and Lin Chaopan fell short of Whitlock to confirm another British medal, before Uchimura and Verniaiev – the gold and silver medallists – surpassed him to ensure the colour would be bronze. Whitlock, who British men’s gymnastics head coach Eddie Van Hoof describes as the ultimate perfectionist, pulled off a hard routine without fault, receiving 15.785 points and emerging from the first rotation in front.
“I knew what I had to achieve as a target point.I was calm and that was the key to my success”.
He stuck a ideal landing to score 15.8 with Verniaiev delivering a less spectacular show on the apparatus losing out with 14.800.
Advertisement
Whitlock has further chances for Olympic medals as he has qualified for the floor and pommel horse finals.
