LINING the tunnel that gymnasts use to access the SSE Hydro is the Walk of Champions displaying life-sized images of the illustrious gold medal winners in recent years.

There is one face that features again and again: Kohei Uchimura.

They call him “Superman” and Japan’s Uchimura more than lived up to that nickname as he claimed a record sixth consecutive all-around title at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow.

The reigning Olympic champion was pursued hard by Manrique Larduet of Cuba and Great Britain’s Max Whitlock, but having already achieved his dream of a historic team gold earlier in the week, Uchimura was clearly in winning mood.

This world title was only ever going to be Uchimura’s to lose.

It was an evening of high drama as Larduet looked perilously close to pulling off an upset of epic proportions.

The 19-year-old Cuban held his nerve in a captivating head-to-head with Uchimura – the final standings coming down to the wire.

In the end, it was Uchimura who emerged triumphant with the surprise package of this competition Larduet taking silver and Deng Shudi of China bronze.

After an impressive start which saw Whitlock a contender for a podium finish, a fall on high bar – mirroring his woes in qualification – saw him tumble down the standings.

Last year, he was an all-around silver medallist. This time Whitlock had to make do with fifth.

Scotland’s Daniel Purvis, who looked relaxed throughout, finished in seventh.

Uchimura may have written his way into the record books, but Larduet carved his own slice of history.

Only 1.200 separated the pair going into the final rotation. Deng sat in third with European all-around champion Oleg Verniaiev of Ukraine – after a fall on pommel horse dented his ambitions – in fourth.

Many in the gymnastics world were tipping Larduet for big things after his silver in the all-around final at the Pan American Games in Toronto this summer.

He qualified for this world all-around final in seventh but brought his A-game when it mattered.

Larduet becomes the first Cuban man to win a world all-around medal.

It also marks his country’s first medal since his compatriots Eric Lopez and Charles Leon Tamayo took silver and bronze on parallel bars and vault respectively in 2001.

Whitlock will need to rally himself overnight. He and Purvis will be back in action on floor tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) as the individual apparatus finals begin.

Louis Smith and Whitlock will compete on pommel horse with Ellie Downie up on vault and Ruby Harrold the asymmetric bars.

Olympic silver medallist Smith is among the favourites on pommel horse. He qualified top on this apparatus – despite being a tad under the weather with a throat and sinus infection.

The 26-year-old reigning European champion has previously taken world silver and two bronze on pommel horse.

To become the first British man to win an individual gold at this level would be yet another key milestone in Great Britain’s stratospheric rise through the global gymnastics ranks.

Among those likely to test Smith is his team-mate Whitlock, who is also a former world silver medallist. Whitlock scored 16.100 on that piece in the individual all-around final.

Purvis, meanwhile, was a world bronze medallist on floor back in 2010. He would undoubtedly love to add another medal to that tally.

Kristian Thomas, who was part of that silver medal winning Great Britain team earlier this week, is confident that we could see big things from his team-mates this weekend.

“Great Britain is represented in quite a few different finals over the next couple of days and there is definitely potential for more medals,” he said.

“In finals it is always a bit of a lottery because you never know what is going to happen with falls, mistakes and the added pressures, so there is definitely medals up for grabs.”

Beth Tweddle is the only British gymnast to become a world champion – taking gold on asymmetric bars twice and also on floor. Thomas believes we could witness one of the men follow suit.

“There is potential there,” he said. “I’m not going to say who or on what apparatus, but there is definitely a chance to make history on the men’s side. It’s a great opportunity and hopefully they can grab it with both hands.”

The remarkable force of nature that is USA’s Simone Biles will look to add to the team and individual all-around gold she has already won in these world championships by claiming her first title on vault – she was runner-up on this apparatus in both 2013 and 2014.