Kovtun, Fraser, Jarman and Verniaiev top 8 all-around at # Paris 2024

Eagerly awaited, the men’s all-around final had the audience on the edge of their seat as the leaderboard kept changing throughout the 6 rotations.

Off to a dramatic start when top qualifier Zhang Boheng fell on floor in the first rotation and defending Olympic Champion Hashimoto Daiki came off pommel horse in rotation 2, this final truly felt like a rollercoaster. For Europe, the greatest medal potential came from the British and Ukrainian gymnasts: 2022 European all-around Champion Joe Fraser (GBR), his compatriot Jake Jarman who’s the reigning World Champion on vault, reigning European parallel bars and horizontal bar Champion Illia Kovtun, and current Vice-European Champion in the all-around. Putting on a great display of skill and determination the gymnasts fought for every tenth.

Top qualifier Oka Shinnosuke from Japan clinched the Olympic title after a phenomenal horizontal bar routine, edging past China’s Zhang Boheng, by the slimmest of margins, 0,233 separating gold and silver. The silver medallist from the previous Olympics, Xiao Ruoteng, also representing China, earned the bronze medal. In fourth place, and just 0,199 shy from the bronze medal, Illia Kovtun took it well: “During the qualification competition, I made two big mistakes, one on the high bar and one on the pommel horse. Today the routines went well. I gave everything to make improvements on every apparatus. I consider fourth a very good result. It was a good competition. I always want more and I’ll work harder to become better.”

Fifth place was for Joe Fraser while defending Champion Hashimoto Daiki ended his day in sixth, and Jake Jarman in seventh. In pole position after 4 rotations, 2016 Vice-Olympic Champion Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) finished eighth.

A special shout-out goes to Matteo Giubellini. At just 19 years old, the Swiss talent placed 10^th in his first Olympic appearance. More to come from him, that’s for sure.

 

Results

GOLD Oka Shinnosuke (JPN) 86.832

SILVER Zhang Boheng (CHN) 86.599

BRONZE Xiao Ruoteng (CHN) 86.364

 

Find the full results on the FIG website: FIG LIVE - Schedule (gymnastics.sport)

The gymnastics competition at these Olympic Games continue tomorrow with the women’s all-around final!