Uchimura puts Japan on top in worlds qualification Day 1
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Xinhua, October 10, 2011
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| Kohei Uchimura of Japan performs on the parallel bars during the men's qualification round of the World Gymnastics Championships 2011 in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 9, 2011. [Chen Xiaowei/Xinhua] |
![Kohei Uchimura of Japan performs on the parallel bars during the men's qualification round of the World Gymnastics Championships 2011 in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 9, 2011. [Chen Xiaowei/Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20111010/000cf1a48b7f0ffca2231c.jpg "Kohei Uchimura of Japan performs on the parallel bars during the men's qualification round of the World Gymnastics Championships 2011 in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 9, 2011. [Chen Xiaowei/Xinhua]")
The home favorite Kohei Uchimura lifted a flawed Japanese gymnastics team to the pole position on the first day of the men's qualification at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday despite suffering a foot injury halfway in the six-routine competition.
Uchimura, 22, also striving for a record three all-around champions in a row, led the individual rankings with 92.256 points, 1.724 ahead of John Orozco from the United States, a new-comer to the world championships.
The Japanese gymnasts, wearing a pin specially made for the worlds with "We Support Tohoku" on it to mark the massive earthquake in March, looked to be a bit nervous in their first competition, making several big mistakes in vault, floor exercise and pommel horse events together with many small ones.
Few of the 30 routines from six athletes achieved an execution score of 9.0 or above.
The team's total score of 364.291 points was only 2.708 higher than the second ranked United States, which is comparatively mediocre for the ambitious team who vows to topple the long-reigning Chinese team on their home soil.
Uchimura admitted to reporters that they did only a "moderate" job, but adding that as the first competition it was all right.
The all-around "King" himself also made a massive mistake, landing badly and hurt his foot. He had the team's lowest score of 15.2 points in the event, and carried a severe ache in the following three routines.
"It was Ok for me to do the horizonal bar but after the landing, it ached very much," he said through an interpreter. "There was a time I though of quitting the floor exercise as it involves feet much."
However, he was then pushed to keep up by Yusuke Tanaka's accident and retirement from the floor exercise.
According to a statement from the Japanese Gymnastic Association, the younger Tanaka, coming just behind his brother Kazuhito Tanaka who had already committed a mistake in the event, started his routine by "Vanloan" (front salto roll with full twist) but landed badly and seemed dizzy. He then did a front sommie with a half twist, but was obviously disoriented and had to stop performing.
The doctor said that he had suffered a concussion, but had no serious damage, the statement said.
"After Yusuke's mistake, I told myself to hang on and no more mistakes would be allowed," said Uchimura. "And I did it."
With the great pain, he performed well in the floor and pommel horse, gaining 15.466 and 15.433 points respectively, both the highest in his team.
As the men's team final is on the 12th, both Uchimura and Yusuke Tanaka have a sufficient three days to recover.
Despite the flawed opening, Uchimura insist that he was confident of the team's chance of winning the gold medal.
Germany and Romania were on the third and fourth positions after day one.
Powerhouse China, had triumphed at four world championships in a row, start their qualification on Monday evening.
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