Olympics & Paralympics

Japan’s Olympic Gold Medal Haul Swells to 8 at Paris Games; Oka Wins Gymnastics All-Round, Murao Takes Silver in Judo

Yomiuri Shimbun photos / Hiroto Sekiguchi, Kaname Muto
Left: Sanshiro Murao, left, faces Lasha Bekauri of Georgia in the final of the 90-kilogram division of men’s judo at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
Right: Shinnosuke Oka, left, and Daiki Hashimoto celebrate after Oka won the gold medal in the men’s artistic gymnastics all-around finals at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:54 JST, August 1, 2024

PARIS – Japan now has eight gold medals at the Paris Olympics, with one more added Wednesday. The eighth medal was claimed by 22-year-old Shinnosuke Oka, who won the men’s artistic gymnastics all-around title in his Olympic debut. This was Oka’s second gold medal at the Paris Games — he also helped Japan win the gymnastics team event.

Kunihiko Miura / The Yomiuri Shimbun
Shinnosuke Oka performs his floor routine during the men’s artistic gymnastics all-around at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

This was the fourth consecutive win for Japan in the men’s gymnastics all-around. Kohei Uchimura won at the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, while Daiki Hashimoto, now 22, took gold in Tokyo in 2021.

Hashimoto finished sixth on Wednesday.

In the 90-kilogram division of men’s judo, Sanshiro Murao, 23, secured the silver medal. Murao lost in the final to Tokyo gold medalist Lasha Bekauri of Georgia.

The Japanese women’s soccer team defeated Nigeria 3-1 in the final match for the group stage, finishing second in Group C. Nadeshiko advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will play the United States on Aug. 3 for a spot in the top four.

Japan has ceded the top spot for gold medals to China, and is tied with France in second place.