Gymnastics Kohei Uchimura has signed a new three-year affiliation contract with a Tokyo company engaged in the automobile sales business.
Uchimura, who achieved the second consecutive Olympic all-around victory, turned professional for the first time in the Japanese gymnastics world in 2016, and the following year, he signed an affiliation contract with a restaurant chain company founded in his hometown of Nagasaki Prefecture.
However, the company abandoned the contract by the end of December last year because of the deterioration of business performance due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
Uchimura announced at a press conference in Tokyo on the 17th that he had signed a new three-year affiliation contract with the Tokyo company "Joycal", which is engaged in the automobile sales business, from the 17th.
At the press conference, Uchimura explained the reason for signing the contract, saying, "I think that the new affiliated company is focusing on promotion activities such as gymnastics classes, and I think that it will be possible to promote gymnastics more than ever."
He said, "In the days when I didn't know what to do with Corona, I lost my affiliation and learned about the harshness of the professional world. However, I can only return it by acting, so I want to do my best toward the Tokyo Olympics. "
Then, based on the fact that he signed a three-year contract, he was asked if he was aiming for the 2024 Paris Olympics. I love gymnastics, so I want to continue, but honestly, I don't know. "
Uchimura will continue to make adjustments for the All Japan Championship in April, which also serves as the representative selection for the Tokyo Olympics.