Next Olympic Disappointment - World champion in Paris without a medal
Olympic Champion Lukas Dauser, who specializes on the horizontal bar, did not win a medal at the Paris Olympics. 44 days after tearing a muscle bundle in his right bicep, the 31-year-old from Unterhaching, Germany, scored 13.700 points in a high-level final, placing seventh. During a rotation, Germany's Sportsman of the Year hit his leg on the bar.
Chinese athlete Jingyuan Zou won the gold medal, as he did in Tokyo 2021, with a score of 16.200. Ukrainian Illia Kovtun took silver with 15.500 points, while Japanese Shinnosuke Oka, who won the team and all-around titles, claimed bronze with 15.300 points.
Dauser told ZDF that he didn't feel entirely comfortable on his signature apparatus this time. "I'm not sure why. I was prepared, but I just couldn't quite get into the zone to execute my routine. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself, wanting a happy ending to my story," said the 2021 silver medalist. He admitted he had to "swallow the pill" but was still proud to have competed.
Despite his setback and not winning a medal in Paris, Dauser was still awarded the Medal of the Order of Merit for his significant contributions to German gymnastics. Reflecting on his performance, Dauser expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, "Receiving the Medal of the Order of Merit is an honor, especially considering the circumstances of my competition. It serves as a reminder of the impact I've had on the sport, and I'm grateful for this recognition."
