‘Robotic’ Chinese gymnasts told to shake up after new low

RIO DE JANEIRO: World gymnastics chief has blamed China’s “robotic” style in Rio for the once-dominant team’s worst Olympics in over 30 years. China failed to take

Published on: Aug 18, 2016, 10:58:12 IST

By HT Correspondent

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RIO DE JANEIRO: World gymnastics chief has blamed China’s “robotic” style in Rio for the once-dominant team’s worst Olympics in over 30 years. China failed to take a gold for the first time since 1984 – winning just two team bronze – and for the first time failing to get an individual medal. A Kohei Uchimura-powered Japan toppled China’s men, two-time gold medallists since Beijing 2008. China failed to defend any of their titles from London 2012. FIG president Bruno Grandi said the Chinese had failed to move with the times as they dropped to the 11th on the medal table, behind hosts Brazil. “They’ve remained trapped in a robotic style of training,” Grandi said. “They’re beginning to change a bit now. Those who have kept pace with the changes are the Japanese. They (Japan) have improved the construction of their exercises, leaving behind Easternstyle choreographies to move towards the West, that is to say more harmony, imagination, creativity.”

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