PARIS – Ivan Litvinovich made historical past inside Bercy Area on Friday evening, changing into the primary man to win Olympic gold in males’s trampoline twice.
“It’s a brand new standing, however on the similar time, I really feel a bit nervous about my profession (laughs),” Litvinovich mentioned of the achievement. “I’ll proceed to work much more and to have the ability to take part within the subsequent Olympic Video games, and to be in good condition, good kind and to be aggressive there.”
The 23-year-old certified first to the ultimate with a 63.420 and backed that up with a 63.090 to finest silver medalist Wang Zisai (61.890) and bronze medalist Yan Langyu (60.950) each of China.
The trio have confronted off a number of occasions this 12 months, however Litvinovich’s issue, time of flight, and horizontal displacement have been all superior to the Chinese language efforts. Even for the untrained eye, it was clear how Litvinovich was the superior trampolinist – he jumped larger than anybody else, maintained that amplitude, and stayed virtually utterly within the small sq. field in the course of the equipment.
“I used to be fairly anxious and nervous,” he mentioned. “My coach helped me so much. I used to be additionally listening to music earlier than my routines. I felt I used to be absolutely ready to point out my finest at this time.”
Following his triumph in Tokyo three years in the past, it was unclear if Litvinovich would even get the prospect to defend his title after Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from worldwide competitors by the Worldwide Gymnastics Federation (FIG) quickly after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, however a path was paved when the FIG allowed athletes assembly sure necessities to return to competitors on January 1 of this 12 months.
When the IOC signed off on people from the 2 nations being allowed to qualify as Particular person Impartial Athletes (AIN), Litvinovich was simply capable of earn his spot in Paris by way of the trampoline World Cup collection. Now, he’s the primary AIN to win Olympic gold in Paris after fellow Belarusian Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya gained silver in ladies’s trampoline – the primary AIN medal of any coloration in Paris – just some hours earlier.
Silver medalist Zisai mentioned he was a bit stunned by the consequence since he got here to Paris simply centered on competing at his first Olympic Video games.
“In fact, I used to be nervous within the first routine [in qualifying],” Wang mentioned. “After that, I used to be capable of alter myself and steadily acquired within the zone. Really, I used to be fairly stunned by the ultimate consequence that I acquired: the silver medal. I wasn’t capable of management my facial expressions, as a result of I used to be simply so pleased in regards to the consequence.”
Yan was a bit flustered to start out his remaining routine, and it confirmed within the execution. Nonetheless, it was sufficient for the bronze by greater than a degree.
“I did put quite a lot of strain on myself, and consequently, I wasn’t capable of carry out to my finest at this time,” Yan mentioned. “However I feel that’s utterly regular, as a result of all of us make errors.”
Nice Britain’s Zak Perzamanos was fourth, and Gabriel Albuquerque of Portugal was fifth. France’s Pierre Gouzou was sixth after a efficiency that had the gang stomping its ft and shaking the sector. Rounding out the highest eight have been Angel Hernandez of Colombia and Tokyo bronze medalist Dylan Schmidt of New Zealand, who crashed out within the remaining.
America’ Aliaksei Shostak was tenth – the most effective end ever for a U.S. man in Olympic trampoline.
“I loved each single day I used to be right here,” Shostak mentioned. “I simply took all of it in and had a very nice time. Even at this time, like I mentioned, I’m a little bit disillusioned, however I’m not devastated. Every part has been an excellent expertise.”
