Paris Olympics Men’s Gymnastics Individual All-Around Final (31st, Paris-Place Arena)

Shinnosuke Oka (20) = Tokushukai Gold Medal

The new hero of gymnastics in Japan has a slightly “loose” air about him. Shinnosuke Oka (20) of Tokushukai, who won a gold medal in his first Olympic Games, said “It’s really good.” When his name was called and he stood in the middle of the podium, he waved his hands shyly and responded to the cheers. It was a moment of joy that was typical of the shy and modest Oka, who always smiles and laughs a lot.

Living alone: ​​”It was pretty bad.”

His path is the polar opposite of “loose.” Oka, a native of Okayama Prefecture, left his hometown in the spring of 2019 as a first-year high school student to join the powerful adult club “Tokushukai.” It was an unusual decision, as most people generally join school clubs and work hard at practice, and it was all driven by his determination to “become an athlete who can compete in the Olympics in the future. I was convinced that I absolutely had to take action to improve.”

Since there was no precedent, the team was also feeling their way around. At the time, Oka, who was 15 years old, lived alone while attending a correspondence high school. “At home, I left everything to my parents, so I was always anxious about everything,” he recalls with a wry smile. On days off when there was no support for meals, he couldn’t cook rice properly and would sometimes have to settle for cup noodles for dinner. “I was pretty bad back then,” he laughs.

High potential: Ferrari

He was named after Shinnosuke Abe (current manager) of the professional baseball team Yomiuri Giants, of whom his parents are big fans.