PARIS: Japan’s ace gymnast Daiki Hashimoto gave his country a fairy-tale ending with a drama-packed team win at the Paris Games on Monday, and served up a bonus with a gesture of spontaneous sportsmanship that had social media abuzz with adulation.

Following Japan’s come-from-behind victory over China a day earlier, fans on Tuesday posted photos and video clips of the all-around reigning champion facing the stands with an index finger to his lips, gesturing for the crowd to quiet down for his Chinese rival Zhang Boheng’s final routine.

It had been a roller-coaster ride for Japanese fans — and Hashimoto — as the Tokyo team silver medallist had made his squad’s only major error during the event by falling off the pommel horse and putting Japan far behind.

“To be able to do something like that when the team could have still lost is the mark of true sportsmanship,” one user wrote on X. “So cool.”

The tides turned just before anchor Hashimoto took to the high bar after Zhang’s teammates bungled their routines on the final apparatus to suddenly and improbably give Japan a shot at the team title.

Hashimoto later recalled the emotions that welled up as he completed his high bar without incident and heard the Bercy Arena crowd roar and applaud.

“The landing wasn’t perfect and that was a bummer, but seeing the audience standing in ovation made it the best moment. Even before the performance my eyes were a bit teary, and after the landing I felt indescribable joy,” he said.

But that did not stop the 22-year-old from shushing the audience in consideration of Zhang and shaking his hand, followed by a quick hug. The two are widely considered favourites to win the all-around title on Wednesday.

Zhang’s final score on high bar cemented Japan’s win, by less than a point, leaving China with a bitter silver.

Hashimoto and his teammates Kazuma Kaya, Shinnosuke Oka, Takaaki Sugino and Wataru Tanigawa rounded up the evening with one final gesture of sportsmanship at the medals ceremony.

After the US and Chinese men collected their bronze and silver medals, Team Japan stepped down from the podium to shake the hands of their 10 opponents, before stepping up again to receive their medals.

Reuters