TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Shinnosuke Oka finds himself on a path that many can only dream of after shooting to artistic gymnastics stardom in 2024, nabbing three gold medals at the Paris Olympics.

With the men's individual all-around triumph, the 21-year-old from Okayama Prefecture extended Japan's dominance in the event to four Olympics after joining two-time champion Kohei Uchimura and Daiki Hashimoto on the list.

With gold in the team and horizontal bar, Oka became the first Japanese gymnast to win three golds at a single Olympics since Sawao Kato in 1968 and 1972.

"To be on a once-in-a-lifetime dream stage and win three gold medals, as well as a bronze on the parallel bars, I wonder if anything could make me happier," Oka told Kyodo News recently.

Making his Olympic debut in France, Oka was not the favorite for either of his individual events but came up with solid, nerveless showings as his rivals stuttered.

"I was 100 percent convinced I would win if I were able to put in my maximum performances. I'd been practicing to an extent that I felt it was, in fact, difficult not to win," he said of his first Olympics.

"I managed to etch my name into the history of Japanese gymnastics and also matured mentally. I learned many techniques and training methods from overseas gymnasts, and they have also given me this image that I can get even stronger."

Predictably, his meteoric rise has brought about changes and a level of attention that, as the new face of the sport, Oka is looking to navigate.

"I'm starting to develop a sense of pride. There's no change to my desire to win, but I can no longer show uncool performances," Oka said. "(The attention) is a bit scary. I could perform relaxed as a nobody in Paris, but I'm already feeling tremendous pressure."

"I don't like the title of ace, and I want to remain a challenger. But I know it's something that I definitely need to face up to."

Hashimoto won golds in the individual all-around and horizontal bar at the 2021 Tokyo Games, finding himself in a similar position to where Oka is currently, but plunged to sixth in Paris in his individual event.

"He remains a reliable presence (in the team) as one'd expect and we were leaving things to him. I'm sure it's been really hard for him," Oka said of the 23-year-old Hashimoto.

"I want to gain plenty of experience toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and hope to lead Japan as double ace with Daiki."

While Oka continues his march in 2025 amid the unknowns of being an Olympic champion, the 158-centimeter star is undeterred as he sets his aim higher.

"I want to keep winning," he said. "It's something really difficult, but I want to learn new techniques, produce results and thrive in order to be a one-of-a-kind gymnast."