On the road to the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes from all over the world have shown their worth. Among them is Daiki Hashimoto, the three-time defending champion from Japan. Despite being only 22 years old, he is already performing exceptionally well. His success is a result of a fine mixture of innate ability and dedication. Nicknamed “Mr. Infinite Stamina,” Daiki Hashimoto, who stands at 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm), entered the Paris Olympics with the hope of winning gold.

He said at the Takasaki Arena in Gunma Prefecture, “Just because I’m in for Paris doesn’t mean I can relax. I have to show at the All-Japans what I hope to show in Paris.” This shows his sportsmanship and resilience towards his game. His contributions and achievements like Tokyo Olympics gold have made him a prime highlight this time.

Know all about Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Daiki Hashimoto

A rising young gymnast, Daiki Hashimoto is a name that has become synonymous with gymnastic excellence. His journey began in 2013 when he first represented Japan while still in school. He finished at the top in qualifying, outdistancing his teammates from Japan in all four events. This true champion was particularly outstanding on the pommel horse. When Miyachi tested men with long arms and legs, who were disproportional athletes on this apparatus, the judges were indeed dazzled. His score of 14.883 not only broke the World Championships record but exceeded it. He later commented, “I was so excited, I hardly felt nervous at all.”

Hashimoto, at the age of 20, became the youngest Olympic champion in the men’s all-around category at Tokyo 2020. His splendid showing on the floor, horizontal bar, and vault helped him earn a gold medal even after having a finger injury. After that, in a candid interview, he said with pride, “Our team is the best we ever had. We are stronger than our team that competed at the Rio Olympics”. His achievements did not stop here as he played a major part in the Japanese Team’s silver medal recovery in this competition, his performance showing his characteristics of strength and consistency.

The success of Hashimoto continued at the 2023 Asian Gymnastics Championships, where he dominated the competition with many gold medals from both events. Then, he combined into one medal across all seven judges on each side (this made his point total 536). His work proves that he does not sit back and rest on his laurels as has so many gold medalists in the past. The performances demonstrated his ongoing quest for superior skills and new accomplishments in gymnastics. His work ethic and significant records continue to shine in the gymnastics world. Fans and critics alike are now looking forward to watching him excel and inspire gymnasts on the global stage. Unfortunately, despite qualifying for the team events at the Paris Olympics, he missed the high bar final.

Daiki Hashimoto faces unfortunate fall at Paris Olympics qualifiers

Known for his perfection and grace, Daiki Hashimoto unexpectedly missed his chance to defend his Olympic championship title in the horizontal bar. The Japanese artistic gymnast failed to make the eight-man apparatus final in Paris on Saturday. Although Hashimoto executed every release move perfectly, he landed off balance, causing his hands to touch the floor. The faulty dismount cost him, earning just 13.733 points at Bercy Arena during the men’s horizontal bar phase of team events and individual all-around exercises.

The 22-year-old gymnast admitted that the day had been challenging. He noted that his body felt heavier while maneuvering through the six apparatuses and that he struggled toward the end. Daiki Hashimoto also mentioned that an injury to his right middle finger in May may have contributed to his difficulties. In the individual all-around, Shinnosuke Oka scored 86.865, edging out Hashimoto, who recorded 85.064. Both gymnasts advanced to the 24-man final. The Japan men’s team, which won silver at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, is aiming to reclaim the gold medal they won at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

The combined total of 260.594 points from Hashimoto, Kazuma Kaya, Wataru Tanigawa, Oka, and Takaaki Sugino secured their spot in the eight-nation final. Despite falling short of China’s 263.028, Japan’s total was sufficient to move forward. He commented at the start of the Paris Olympics to Kyodo News, “I haven’t had a proper performance (in training) on the horizontal bar since coming to Paris…Finals are a one-off and I want to prepare to be able to give my maximum.” However, these unexpected mishaps surprised his fans because people know him because of his poise under pressure.