To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.
This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.
Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Reuters Japanese gymnasts celebrate after qualifying at the Bercy Arena during the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
Reuters
16:26 JST, July 28, 2024
PARIS (Reuters) — Much has been made about the robustness of the Olympic Village’s cardboard beds but one didn’t prove up to the test for top Japanese gymnast Shinnosuke Oka.
Oka, who produced a strong performance on the first day of the Paris Games in the men’s qualification on Saturday, said a “water leak” from the bath had caused damage to the cardboard frame of his bed, forcing him to seek a swap.
“The cardboard sort of collapsed because of a water leak, from, er, bathwater,” the 20-year-old first-time Olympian said coyly, with an embarrassed smile.
Oka said he noticed himself sinking gradually on the bed as he slept, and then realized that the frame was warped.
“It kind of messed up my back. Not enough to affect my performance or anything but I thought, ‘I probably don’t want to sleep this way for the rest of the time’.”
Reuters Shinnosuke Oka performs on the pommel horse on Saturday.
The cardboard bed frame was introduced at the Tokyo 2020 Games for sustainability reasons – a central theme for Paris 2024 organizers. The mattresses are made of the same material used in fishing nets and are made by the Japanese brand Airweave.
All the bedding from the Olympic Village is set to be donated to the French Army, the Paris Opera Ballet School and other local organizations after the Games.
