Six-time world champion Uchimura: mistake is not a bad thing

Kohei Uchimura of Japan said the mistake was not a bad thing after falling off the high bar here on Saturday in the first subdivision of the men's gymnastics qualification at the Rio Olympic Games

Uchimura, 27, came to Rio as the defending all-around Olympic champion and six-time world champion of the event. He also took the gold of the high bar at last year's World Championships.

After falling off the bar during the qualification, Uchimura said he didn't make such a mistake in practice normally. "I was too concerned with the slipperiness of the horizontal bar, and that's made me fall."

The Japanese captain also fell off the high bar in the Olympic qualification four years ago, and he didn't think it a bad thing.

"It makes me recognise and focus that I am performing in the Olympic Games," he said.

Uchimura led the all-around qualification with a total score of 90.498 temporarily while Japan was placed No.1 in the first subdivision, 1.216 points ahead of Brazil.

The Brazilian men's team completed a sensational performance in front of thousands of enthusiastic audiences.

"It was a different experience this time, because last time I was at the Olympics as an individual. Now I am here with a team," said Arthur Zanetti, the defending Olympic champion in the rings. "It really helps me. I think we did great as a team and I can't wait to go to the final." Endit