gimnasia artistica

[maripi]

Gymnastics superstar Kohei Uchimura is off the market, the Japanese media reported Tuesday.

The world and Olympic all-around champion, 23, registered for a marriage license earlier this month. He confirmed the registration, but offered no details on his wife or wedding date.

"I applied a for marriage registration on Nov. 11," he said in a statement. "The goal of the Olympics in London is over, and I achieved the highest honor, so I need to establish a new starting point in my life. I hope you will be able to understand that I won't be giving any more statements on the issue of my marriage."

In Japan, couples marry by submitting official registration documents to a government office for approval. Wedding ceremonies are not required by law but are popular.

The pair were engaged in October 2011, but Uchimura kept the news under wraps as he prepared for the Olympics. Little is known about his new bride, only that she is also 23 and is a non-celebrity, Japanese media reported.
Uchimura burst on the scene at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, winning the all-around silver. He followed it up by becoming the first gymnast, male or female, to win three consecutive world all-around titles. At the Olympics this past summer in London, he claimed the all-around gold medal, silver with the Japanese team and silver on floor exercise.

Nicknamed "Superman" for his seeming invincibility on the podium, Uchimura has said he plans to continue to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He had been scheduled to compete at the DTB Cup this weekend in Stuttgart, but has withdrawn with shoulder and ankle injuries. He is expected to compete a few events at the Toyota Cup, Dec. 14-15.