Individual, Men

After the 16-man qualification round in men’s trampoline, China’s Gao Lei (2015 World champion) was first and multi World champion Dong Dong of China was ranked third, with Belarussian Vladislav Goncharov (2015 World silver medalist), sitting in second, and going second last in the final round. In the epic final, defending Olympic champion and 2008 bronze medalist Dong, who was bidding to become the first man to win back-to-back trampoline Olympic titles, was upset for gold by the youngster Goncharov (61.745 to 60.535), one of the youngest in the field, who had never previously won an international competition. He became the first gymnast from his country to win a trampoline medal of any colour, and earned his country’s only gold medal at the Rio Games. “I watched him with admiration” said Dong Dong who now has an Olympic medal of every color. The reigning world champion, Gao Lei of China, won the bronze medal (60.175). The medals were presented by Barbara Kendall, IOC member (New Zealand) and Horst Kunze, FIG Trampoline Technical Committee President.