Belarus’s Ivan Litvinovich wins men's trampoline gymnastics gold

Belarus’s Ivan Litvinovich left the best for last to win gold on the final routine of the men’s trampoline gymnastics at Tokyo 2020. The 20-year-old wept when his score of 61.715 was revealed by the judges at the end of the event at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.

All eyes had been on the People’s Republic of China’s DONG Dong who had topped the leaderboard on 61.235 before Litvinovich stepped up to take his turn. The Belarus athlete held his nerve to pull off an outstanding routine of multiple somersaults and spins, soaring 10 metres into the air, to claim the title. It was Belarus' first medal of Tokyo 2020.

Litvinovich said later Dong's performance had seemed invincible. "I saw his score, and it was very high. At that time, I thought silver would be the maximum I could achieve. Now I am holding the best medal, the gold medal. It's really amazing," he said.

Dong’s silver medal still cements his place in history as the first trampoline gymnast to win four medals in four Olympic Games. The 32-year-old, who has confirmed Tokyo 2020 will be his last Games, won gold at London 2012, silver in Rio 2016 and a bronze for the host country at Beijing 2008. As a 12-times world champion and two-times world games, he is also the most decorated trampoline gymnast in the history of the sport.

"Today, I did my utmost," Dong said as he acknowledged the Belarus' athletes superiority in the final. "[Litvinovich] had a few problems during his routine, but he still won. So I am really getting old. I have been to four Olympics, but Olympics are for young people."

The gold medal win meant New Zealand’s Dylan Schmidt, 24, moved into bronze on 60.675 while defending Rio 2016 Olympic champion, Uladzislau Hancharou, and Litvinovich's Belarus teammate, had to settle for fourth.

The remaining four athletes in the final were ROC’s Dmitrii Ushakov on 59.600, whose teammate Andrey Yudin landed 58.235, followed by Japan’s KISHI Daiki 57.815 and Australia’s Dominic Clarke.