King Kohei hits new heights with world gymnastics treble

Kohei Uchimura raised the bar with less than a year to go to the Rio Olympics, bringing home a career-high three titles from the world gymnastics championships in Glasgow for 10 world golds in total.

The reigning Olympic all-around champion added the high bar crown to his all-around and team titles in the Hydro Arena to bring his tally to 10 titles and 19 medals over six world championships.

It was the most successful worlds for the 26-year-old from Fukuoka since he grabbed the first of his six world all-around titles in London in 1999.

Uchimura finally nailed the high bar with an acrobatic display involving spectacular swings and turns after finishing runner-up last year and third in 2011 and 2013.

Despite it being one of his best apparatus he had taken a tumble during the men's team final, but held firm Sunday leading the way 15.833 to finish 0.133 ahead of American Danell Leyva in the eight man final.
Cuban Manrique Larduet finished third to scoop his second medal after he won silver in the all-around.

"I thought today's performance was not enough for the gold medal because I had small mistakes and I was not satisfied," said Uchimura.

"But it was good that I could be in this final, as I made a big mistake on high bar (in the team final), and I think I could show a better routine today. I am happy to see the Japanese flag rising again."

Japan's four golds put them second on the medals table behind the United States who had five, largely thanks to the four-title haul of teenager Simone Biles.
 - Quest for perfection -
Uchimura had made winning the team gold his number one priority in Glasgow after Japan's four successive world silver medals behind China and silver at the last two Olympic Games.

The team success helped partially erase memories of losing the Olympic team final in London, when Uchimura botched his pommel horse.
In addition to breaking China's 12-year domination of the team event to capture their first men's team title since 1978, Japan's Kenzo Shirai secured gold on the floor, to recapture the title he won in 2013.

Kazuma Kaya also shared bronze on the pommel horse on the final day of competition Sunday.

Uchimura's long-held ambition is to outshine the legendary Vitaly Scherbo, who he believes is the greatest gymnast in history.

The Belarusian won six out of the eight men's events for the Commonwealth of Former Soviet Republics at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics -- the greatest haul of gold medals won by any gymnast at a single Games.

Scherbo also has 12 world titles to his name.

"I want to work hard and see the Japanese flag rising more than three times. But it is not going to be easy," said Uchimura.

Uchimura, whose mantra is the quest for perfection, was already analysing for next year's Olympic Games in Rio where he will bid to complete his collection with the Olympic team title.

"I think I will need a score over 16 to win at the (2016) Olympics," he said.

Source: AFP