Yukio Endō

{{Infobox gymnast

|name= Yukio Endō

|image=Yukio Endo 1964b.jpg

|caption=Endō at the 1964 Olympics

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|birth_date= {{birth date|1937|01|18|mf=y}}

|birth_place=Yanaisado, Hiroomote, Akita-ken, Japan{{cite web|url=https://www.edu.city.akita.akita.jp/hro-s/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/20191203_%e5%ba%83%e9%9d%a2%e5%b0%8f%e5%ad%a6%e6%a0%a1-%e5%b9%b4%e8%a1%a8%e3%83%91%e3%83%8d%e3%83%ab.pdf|script-title=ja:広面小学校年表パネル |publisher=Hiroomote Elementary School |access-date=17 April 2020 |language=ja }}{{Cite web | url=http://akiko-tokyo-doso.main.jp/kanasa17/kana_endoh2.html | title=KANASA}}

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|death_date={{death date and age|2009|3|25|1937|01|18|mf=y}}

|death_place=Surugadai Nihon University Hospital, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo{{Cite web | url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/p-sp-tp0-20090326-475542.html |title = 遠藤幸雄さん死去、体操ニッポンをけん引 - スポーツニュース}}{{Cite web | url=http://20century.blog2.fc2.com/blog-entry-567.html |title = 追悼・遠藤選手は僕らのヒーローだった}}

| height = {{convert|1.61|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|discipline=MAG

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{{nihongo|Yukio Endō|遠藤幸雄|Endō Yukio|extra=January 18, 1937 – March 25, 2009}} was a Japanese artistic gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion. He was part of the first Japanese team that succeeded to win gold medals in the team event at the Summer Olympics (1960) and World Championships (1962). In 1964 he won the first individual all-around Olympic gold medal for Japan. He was the flag bearer at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Endō was born into a family of pharmacists. His mother died from tuberculosis{{Cite web | url=https://www.aichisportsclub.com/column/pt20101215130031.html/ |title = 15 « 12月 « 2010 « Npo法人愛知スポーツ倶楽部}} when he was a nine-year-old student at Hiroomote Elementary School. He studied at Kubota Junior High School{{Cite web | url=https://blog.goo.ne.jp/kimion20002000/e/1f97e805208144834bf1521636ecd81e | title=エンドー/遠藤幸雄（体操選手）/72歳 - サーカスな日々}} and Akita Technical High School, after which he studied at the Tokyo University of Education (now the University of Tsukuba), graduating in 1959. He later worked as assistant instructor of physical education at Nihon University.

Career

Endō won gold medals with the Japanese team in three Olympics, in 1960, 1964 and 1968.[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=15&sp=GYM "1960 Summer Olympics – Rome, Italy – Gymnastics"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930025350/http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=15&sp=GYM |date=2007-09-30 }} databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on April 1, 2008)[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=16&sp=GYM "1964 Summer Olympics – Tokyo, Japan – Gymnastics"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070904063801/http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=16&sp=GYM |date=2007-09-04 }} databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on April 1, 2008)[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=17&sp=GYM "1968 Summer Olympics – Mexico City, Mexico – Gymnastics"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929171857/http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=17&sp=GYM |date=2008-09-29 }} databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on April 1, 2008) At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he also received two individual gold medals, in parallel bars, and in individual all-around.

Endō received six individual medals at the 1962 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, including a gold medal in floor exercise, and Japan also won the team competition.{{cite web |title=Yukio Endo – Japan |url=http://www.ighof.com/honorees/1999_Yukio_Endo.php |access-date=October 3, 2012 |work=International Gymnastics Hall of Fame}}

He received two individual silver medals at the 1966 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and Japan won the team competition.File:Yukio Endo 1966d.jpg

Endō was a four-time Japanese all-around champion.

He retired after the 1968 Olympics to become a gymnastics coach and eventually professor at Nihon University. He also coached the national team at the 1972 Olympics, acted as director of the Japanese Olympic Committee and was twice appointed as vice-president of the Japan Gymnastic Association. In 1996, he received the Japanese Emperor's Medal, and in 1999 induced into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Endō died of esophageal cancer on March 25, 2009.{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Amanda |title=Gymnastics Loses Olympic Champion Yukio Endo |url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=823:legendary-endo-dies-at-72&catid=2:news&Itemid=166 |access-date=2018-06-23 |website=International Gymnast Magazine Online |language=en-gb}}

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/en/yukio-endo-1.html |title=Yukio Endo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417073837/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/en/yukio-endo-1.html |archive-date=2020-04-17}}

Martin Childs (May 16, 2009) [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/yukio-endo-gymnast-who-won-five-gold-medals-at-the-olympic-games-1685744.html Yukio Endo: Gymnast who won five gold medals at the Olympic Games]. The Independent

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