Diego Hypolito leads the floor event in the qualifying round in Beijing

Two-time world champion has the best record in the first two subdivisions and could become Brazil's first Olympic gymnastics medalist

GLOBOESPORTE.COM Beijing, China

Diego is in first place on the floor

The artistic gymnastics qualifying round, held early Saturday morning (Brasília time), isn't over yet. But Brazilian fans can already celebrate. With a score of 15.950 on the floor exercise, Diego Hypolito is unlikely to miss the final of the apparatus at the Beijing Olympics. Before competing in the event in which he is a two-time world champion (2005/2007), Diego warmed up on the vault. With no intention of qualifying for the finals, the gymnast made only one attempt on the apparatus and achieved a score of 16.100, a mark that would have placed him third in the rankings (according to results computed up to the second subdivision). This performance actually encouraged Diego to try again and qualify for the apparatus final. However, the gymnast stuck with his decision not to vault again to save himself for the floor exercise, his specialty, and averaged 8.500, which left him out of the final.

Then, it was time to perform on his main apparatus. Diego, who had a starting score of 16,70, took the stage in Beijing and performed a near-perfect routine, quite similar to the one he performed at the 2007 World Championships, when he won. The Olympic debutant began with a double pike twist and a solid sequence of diagonal jumps. His performance lacked the "Hypolito"—a move he created himself—but he secured a score of 15.950, the best of the first two subdivisions.

"The worst thing is to make a mistake on the first day. If I had made a mistake, I would have felt like garbage," Diego told coach Renato Araujo, in a scene captured by the organization's cameras.

Main opponent makes a mistake and is in fourth place

Second place so far belongs to Spaniard Gervasio Deferr with 15.825. Third place goes to Japanese Kohei Uchimura (15.725). Diego's direct rival, Chinese Kai Zou, didn't perform well and is in fourth place with 15.700. At the 2007 Stuttgart World Championships, the Asian gymnast finished the initial phase of the competition in first place and, in the final, saw the Brazilian surpass him to win gold for the second time. Meanwhile, the silver medalist in Athens in 2004 and three-time world champion (2001/2002/2006), Romanian Marian Dragulescu – who narrowly avoided missing the Beijing Olympics and ended his career due to a serious back injury – has not yet performed on the floor exercise in Beijing. His heat is part of subdivision III, which will take place later this morning.