Masao Takemoto
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese artistic gymnast
who won two world titles and seven Olympic medals.
His first of seven Olympic medals he achieved in the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
, where he won the silver medal at the vault with a score of 19.150, which was 0.050 short of gold medalist Viktor Chukarin
. Two years later in Rome
at the 1954 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
he became World Champion at the floor exercise, which he shared with Soviet
gymnast Valentin Muratov
as both scored 19.250 points. During this tournament he also won a silver medal with the Japanese team and a bronze at the parallel bars.
At the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne
Takemoto became a three time bronze medalist as he finished in third position at the horizontal bar, parallel bars and rings. In the team event he was part of the Japanese team that took the silver medal. His main skills were on the floor exercise and he proved it once again at the 1958 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
, where he successfully defended his title, this time without sharing it with another gymnast. He also won two silver medals at the vault and team event as well as a bronze medal at the horizontal bar.
Two years later at the 1960 Summer Olympics
in Rome
he achieved his final international results and became Olympic Champion alongside his team mates Nobuyuki Aihara
, Yukio Endo
, Takashi Mitsukuri
, Takashi Ono
and Shuji Tsurumi
. As an individual he added a silver medal to his conto to bring his total to seven Olympic medals, by finishing in second position behind Takashi Ono at the horizontal bar. In 1997 he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Takemoto died from cholangiocarcinoma
on 2 February 2007 at the age of 87 in Kanagawa.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese artistic gymnast
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
who won two world titles and seven Olympic medals.
His first of seven Olympic medals he achieved in the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, where he won the silver medal at the vault with a score of 19.150, which was 0.050 short of gold medalist Viktor Chukarin
Viktor Chukarin
Viktor Ivanovich Chukarin was the first of the great Soviet gymnasts. He won total of eleven medals including seven gold medals at the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics and was the All-around World Champion in 1954...
. Two years later in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at the 1954 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
1954 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 13th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Rome, the capital of Italy, on June 28 - July 1, 1954.-Medals:- All-around :- Floor exercise :- Pommel horse :- Rings :- Vault :- Parallel bars :- Horizontal bar :...
he became World Champion at the floor exercise, which he shared with Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
gymnast Valentin Muratov
Valentin Muratov
Valentin Ivanovich Muratov was a Russian gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion who competed for the Soviet Union. He competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki where he received a gold medal in team combined exercises....
as both scored 19.250 points. During this tournament he also won a silver medal with the Japanese team and a bronze at the parallel bars.
At the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Takemoto became a three time bronze medalist as he finished in third position at the horizontal bar, parallel bars and rings. In the team event he was part of the Japanese team that took the silver medal. His main skills were on the floor exercise and he proved it once again at the 1958 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
1958 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 14th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held on July 6–10 1958 in Moscow, the capital of the USSR.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:...
, where he successfully defended his title, this time without sharing it with another gymnast. He also won two silver medals at the vault and team event as well as a bronze medal at the horizontal bar.
Two years later at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
he achieved his final international results and became Olympic Champion alongside his team mates Nobuyuki Aihara
Nobuyuki Aihara
is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion.-Olympics:Aihara competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne where he received a silver medal in floor exercise, and a silver medal in the team competition. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome where he received a gold medal in floor...
, Yukio Endo
Yukio Endo (gymnast)
was a Japanese artistic gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion.-Olympics:He was born in Akita City, Akita-ken.He won gold medals with the Japanese team in three Olympics, in 1960, 1964 and 1968...
, Takashi Mitsukuri
Takashi Mitsukuri
is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion.-Olympics:Mitsukuri competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome where he received a gold medal in team combined exercises...
, Takashi Ono
Takashi Ono
is a Japanese gymnast who won five gold medals at the Olympic Games.Competing in four Summer Olympics, he took the Olympic Oath at Tokyo in 1964.Ono was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1998....
and Shuji Tsurumi
Shuji Tsurumi
is a Japanese gymnast and Olympic champion.-Olympics:Tsurumi competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome where he received a gold medal in team combined exercises, and a bronze medal in pommel horse...
. As an individual he added a silver medal to his conto to bring his total to seven Olympic medals, by finishing in second position behind Takashi Ono at the horizontal bar. In 1997 he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Takemoto died from cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer of the bile ducts which drain bile from the liver into the small intestine. Other biliary tract cancers include pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, and cancer of the ampulla of Vater...
on 2 February 2007 at the age of 87 in Kanagawa.