Parallel Bars, Men

China dominated qualifying and occupied three of the first six places, with Xiao Ruoteng missing out on a place in the final after being the lowest placed of the three. Britain’s 2019 world champion Joe Fraser qualified in seventh place. The 2017 and 2018 world champion Zou Jingyuan’s 16.166 was the highest score by any gymnast in all qualifying events, and was looking to make amends for an error at the 2019 Worlds that prevented him reaching the final of his best event. He was, however, the favourite for gold in Tokyo. The 2016 Rio bronze medallist David Belyavsky of ROC qualified for the final in ninth position and was hoping to add a second consecutive medal.

Turkey’s Ferhat Arıcan was on the bars first and his routine scored him 15.633 and he laid down the challenge to Zou. The Chinese gymnast bettered his qualifying score, however, scoring a massive 16.233 points and taking a big lead. Zou’s team-mate You Hao moved into the bronze medal position with a 15.633. With one final gymnast to perform, the second ranked qualifier, Lukas Dauser of Germany, it looked like another 1-2 for China, but the German had something to say about that and his 15.700 saw him move into the silver medal spot, which relegated You to fourth.

Ferhat Arican’s bronze medal was the first ever won by a Turkish gymnast in Olympic competition, while Zou Jingyuan’s 16.233 points was the most by any gymnast, male or female, at the Tokyo Games.