Hashimoto ready to step out of Uchimura’s shadow

PARIS: Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto told reporters not to compare him with gymnastics great Kohei Uchimura as he aims to match his countryman by retaining the Olympic all-around title in Paris.

Hashimoto became the youngest men’s all-around champion in Olympic history when he took gold aged 19 at the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Games three years ago. Uchimura, who retired in 2022, won successive all-around Olympic titles at London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016. He was also part of the Japan team that took gold in Brazil.