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Tomita breaks Japan's 31-year title drought
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-25 06:36
MELBOURNE: Hiroyuki Tomita fulfilled pre-championship predictions and became
the first Japanese gymnast in 31 years to win the men's all around title at the
world gymnastics championships yesterday.
Hiroyuki Tomita of
Japan competes in the rings event during the men's all around final at the
World Gymnastics Championships at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne November
24, 2005. [Reuters] | The 25-year-old Tomita, who pipped compatriot Hisashi Mizutori to head
qualifying, scored 56.698 in the six disciplines to beat Mizutori, who made
55.349 and Denis Savenkov of Belarus who finished third with 55.112.
The pair provided the first one-two for a country in the all around final at
a world championships since Grigori Misutin and Vitaly Scherbo of the Soviet
Union won gold and silver respectively at the 1991 championships in
Indianapolis.
"I am really, really happy," Tomita told reporters through an interpreter.
"Until my very last landing from the horizontal bar, I didn't know if I would
win. I knew I had a big chance before the routine, and when I took just the one
step at the end, I knew there was enough gap between first and second so I knew
I had won.
"Fortunately, I got a gold medal in the team event at the Athens Olympics but
not an individual one, so my target (at Melbourne) was gold and I am very happy
about that."
Mizutori, who had been trailing in 10th after the pommel
horse, his second rotation, said he was just relieved to win a medal.
"I am incredibly relieved that I managed to win a medal,
but what I really want to win is the floor exercise," Mizutori said. "I would
love to win that."
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