Murakami hopes historic medal will propel women's game forward

In an Olympics billed as the most gender-balanced yet, Mai Murakami took Japanese gymnastics in the same direction on Monday, winning a historic medal that she hoped would help propel the country's female gymnasts out of the shadows of their long-successful male peers.

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Murakami, 24, has been described by some as possibly Japan's best-ever female gymnast. But the superior performances of the men's team over the years - gold or silver in every Olympics since Athens 2004 - has meant a world of difference in public and media interest.

In contrast, Japan's women have won just one other Olympic medal - a bronze in the team's all-round in 1964, when Tokyo last hosted the Summer Games.

Murakami's bronze in floor on Monday was the first for Japan for an individual event for women.

"I'm honoured to have become the person to rewrite that history," said Murakami, who tied for third place with Russian Angelina Melnikova.

"I think I was able to make a good impression."

Murakami, whose past few years have been marred by injuries, said she gave herself a "gold" for what she thought was the best performance of her gymnastics career on Monday.

But for women's gymnastics overall, she said, there was more work to do.

"The next goal is to win a team medal," she said. "Unless we do that, we won't be able to raise our profile as much."