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Agence France-Presse

Kohei Uchimura survived a challenge to his gymnastics supremacy on Wednesday sealing a second straight all-around Olympic gold with a daring display of acrobatics.
Two days after helping Japan to team gold, the 27-year-old looked to be on the brink of losing his individual title from London 2012.
But a dare-devil horizontal bar routine saw him snatch the title ahead of Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev, winning by just 0.097.
WATCH: Golden moments on Day 5 at Rio Olympics


Britain’s Max Whitlock won bronze in the Rio Olympic Arena.
Uchimura had trailed his 22-year-old rival for the final four of six rotations but sealed his seventh Olympic medal over three Games on the final apparatus.
“Since 2009 this title has been mine, but this time was the trickiest for me,” admitted the six-time world all-around champion.
“Going onto the horizontal bar I knew what I had to do. I remained calm and controlled. This calmness I think was the key to my success.”
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The gymnast known as ‘King Kohei’ becomes the first man to successfully defend his title since countryman Sawao Kato in 1972.
But even if he had doubts, his rivals were not so sure.
“I’m happy that I made Kohei very nervous, but in the end he retained his title again,” said Verniaiev.
“I really don’t think he (Uchimura) doubted himself.”
Uchimura also joins Kato on a record three Olympic medals in men’s all-around, after silver in 2008.
Japan match the Soviet Union on a record six Olympic titles in the event.
WATCH: relive the action involving Hong Kong athletes on Day 4 and Day 5 at the Rio Olympics


Whitlock, a two-time world all-around medallist, gave Britain a first Olympic men’s all-around medal since Walter Tysal’s silver in 1908.
“Uchimura has inspired me,” said the 23-year-old Whitlock.
“It’s always impressive the confidence he shows.
“It’s unbelievable to stay at that level for so may years.”
The all-around is the pinnacle of men’s gymnastics, a battle across six disciplines between 24 of the most athletically impressive competitors in the Games.
And it delivered thrilling gymnastics in the Rio Olympic Arena, with Uchimura scoring highest on the floor, vault and the horizontal bar.
Verniaiev led the way on the rings and parallel bars, finishing second on the pommel horse behind Whitlock, the reigning world champion on the apparatus.
Competing in the same group as Uchimura, the Ukrainian, who had led Saturday’s qualifiers, pulled ahead on rings and had a 0.467 advantage on Uchimura at the half-way point.
Uchimura nailed his vault despite a small hop back on landing, scoring a highest 15.566 of the night.
A massive 16.1 by Verniaiev on parallel bars threw down the challenge to Uchimura, who replied with a 15.600, following another small hop on his landing.
Can China’s adorably awkward Olympic darling Fu Yuanhui turn fame into fortune?
Going into the final horizontal bar rotation – off which Uchimura had tumbled in qualifiers – just 0.901 separated the pair.
And showing nerves of steel Uchimura drew gasps from the crowd at every soaring acrobatic twist of his daredevil routine.
He stuck a perfect landing to score 15.8 with Verniaiev delivering a less spectacular show losing out with 14.800 after a wobbly landing.
Uchimura has now not been beaten in the all-around since his silver at the 2008 Beijing Games – with seven Olympic titles to go along with his 19 in world championships – including ten world golds.
“At the moment, he is the king of gymnastics like Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt in their sports, a multiple champion,” said Verniaiev.
“I got as close as possible to his score as nobody has done before. I did everything I could.”
Verniaiev’s Games are not over however as he will bid for gold in four apparatus finals – pommel horse, vault, horizontal and parallel bars, with Whitlock in floor and pommel horse finals.
In Rio, Uchimura’s focus had been on recapturing the team title once dominated by his country after China won gold at Japan’s expense in 2008 and 2012.
And more gold could come when he competes in the floor final next week.
World championship silver medallist Manrique Larduet, meanwhile, withdrew because of injury after two rotations. He fell on his vault.


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Rio 2016 Olympic Games

‘King’ Kohei still reigns: Japanese maintains grip on gymnastics all-around Olympic title in close finish

Men’s gymnastics all-around gold medalist Kohei Uchimura of Japan, with silver medalist Oleg Verniaiev (R) and bronze medalist Max Whitlock of Britain (L). Photo: Kyodo

Japanese gymnast Kohei Uchimura celebrates his gold medal in the men's Indivudual All-Around final during the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Britain's Max Whitlock competes in the horizontal bar event of the men's individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / EMMANUEL DUNAND

Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev reacts after competing in the horizontal bar event of the men's individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / EMMANUEL DUNAND

Spectacular Kohei Uchimura fall caps day of errors for gymnastics favourites Japan

Japan’s Kohei Uchimura competes in qualifying for the men’s vault event at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. Photo: AFP

This is the moment Kohei Uchimura lost his grip on the horizontal bar – an apparatus on which he is the reigning world champion. Photo: Reuters

Uchimura of Japan sits on the crash mat after his fall. Photo: Reuters

Japan’s gymnastics king Kohei Uchimura wins his sixth consecutive world title

Kohei Uchimura signals 6. Photo: AFP

Kohei Uchimura says he aimed for perfection. Photo: AFP

Deng Shudi, Kohei Uchimura and Manrique Larduet with their medals. Photo: AFP

Kohei Uchimura flies off the bars. Photo: AFP

Kohei Uchimura in action. Photo: EPA

‘How old are China’s women gymnasts?!’ Youngsters spark suspicions as Olympics TV viewers can’t believe their eyes

The Chinese team celebrate their bronze medal after the women's artistic gymnastics team final in Rio. Photo: AFP

Simone Biles does her floor routine in the women's team competition during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Must credit: Washington Post photo by Jonathan Newton

epa05469001 Members of the Chinese Team during the Women's Team Final of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Artistic Gymnastics events at the Rio Olympic Arena in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 09 August 2016. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles competes on the floor exercise on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, at the Rio Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. women's squad captured the gold medal in the team competition. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The Chinese, US and Russian gymnastic teams celebrate with their medals on the podium after the women's team final Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Emmanuel DUNAND

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Kohei Uchimura survives a challenge to his gymnastics supremacy sealing a second straight all-around Olympic gold with a daring display of acrobatics


‘King’ Kohei still reigns: Japanese maintains grip on gymnastics all-around Olympic title in close finish

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Kohei Uchimura survives a challenge to his gymnastics supremacy sealing a second straight all-around Olympic gold with a daring display of acrobatics

WATCH: Golden moments on Day 5 at Rio Olympics

Kohei Uchimura survives a challenge to his gymnastics supremacy sealing a second straight all-around Olympic gold with a daring display of acrobatics