Shigeru Kasamatsu (笠松 茂, Kasamatsu Shigeru, born July 16, 1947) is a retired Japanese artistic gymnast. He competed at the 1972 Olympics and won a gold medal with the Japanese team. Individually he won a silver on parallel bars and bronze medals on the floor and horizontal bar. Kasamatsu won six world titles in 1974 and 1978. The Kasamatsu vault is named after him. In 2006, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. His wife Kazue Hanyu and son Akihiro Kasamatsu are also retired Olympic gymnasts.[1][2]

Shigeru Kasamatsu
Personal information
Country represented Japan
Born (1947-07-16) July 16, 1947 (age 76)
Kumano, Japan
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Eponymous skillsKasamatsu (vault)
Retired1979
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich Team
Silver medal – second place 1972 Munich Parallel bars
Bronze medal – third place 1972 Munich Horizontal bar
Bronze medal – third place 1972 Munich Floor exercise
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1974 Varna Team
Gold medal – first place 1974 Varna All-around
Gold medal – first place 1974 Varna Floor
Gold medal – first place 1974 Varna Vault
Gold medal – first place 1978 Strasbourg Team
Gold medal – first place 1978 Strasbourg Horizontal bar
Silver medal – second place 1978 Strasbourg Floor
Silver medal – second place 1979 Fort Worth Team

Kasamatsu took up gymnastics in 1957, but had his first major achievement only in 1970, when he finished second all-around in the Chunichi Cup. He had to withdraw from the 1976 Olympics due to an emergency appendectomy.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Shigeru Kasamatsu. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ Shigeru Kasamatsu. ighof.com

External links edit