Photo Credit: Oka Shinnosuke/Instagram

Quite honestly, the all-around podium may be set if the reigning Olympic champion Hashimoto can regain his form. He finished third on a rough day, and can certainly challenge for gold with improved execution. It’s also worth noting Hashimoto’s start values were at least .1 or .2 lower than what we’ve seen from him before on multiple events. Finishing above him were the true two best gymnasts of qualifying, Zhang Boheng and Oka Shinnosuke. These three could all-but-lock themselves as the medalists with hit routines simply because of their difficulty totals.

Zhang Boheng

Oka Shinnosuke

Hashimoto Daiki

Though, mistakes can happen and other athletes can come into contention. Ruoteng from China, either of the two British all-arounders, last year’s world silver and bronze medalists Illia Kovtun and Frederick Richard, Olympic silver medalist Oleg Verniaiev, and even Phillippean Carlos Yulo could all have incredible days and end up heading home with an all-around medal.

These athletes will be split between starting on floor and pommel horse during the final, and it’d be a shock if the podium finishers don’t come from within these groups. A few athletes may develop friendly rivalries through these Games, due to competing against their own countrymen or even athletes from other countries with similar strengths. For example, Yulo and Jarman will see each other in the all-around, floor, and vaulting Olympic finals.

Oka will not only battle for gold against Boheng in the all-around, but both athletes will also perform on parallel bars and high bar in those apparatus finals. Even with three favorites for an all-around podium, the all-around final will be a worthwhile watch to see how each athlete compares to what he did in qualifying, and what he might do in the event finals.

This final will be held July 31st at 11:30 am EST. A full schedule of the medal events is available in the Neutral Deductions Olympic Watch Guide.

Follow Neutral Deductions on Instagram, listen to our podcasts , and check back on the website for the latest Olympic gymnastics news, results, and analysis.

Article by: Aiden Whitehead

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