Pokemon Go at Rio 2016: Japanese gymnast runs up $5,000 phone bill playing game ahead of Olympics

The six-time world champion seems to be more interested in defending virtual gyms than real ones

A young man plays the augmented reality mobile game "Pokemon Go" by Nintendo at Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, Spain (REUTERS/Sergio Perez)

Gymnast Kohei Uchimura has broken records by becoming the world champion six times. But he’s having a lot less luck in the gyms of Pokemon Go.

The Japanese Olympian ran up a 500,000 yen ($4,900) phone bill because of the data he used playing the augmented reality game in Rio, where he is waiting for the beginning of the Olympics.

Luckily Uchimura’s Japanese carrier committed to reduce his bill to a 3,000 yen ($30) daily charge that lets him use as much data as he wants catching Pokemon.

The data and battery that Pokemon Go uses was one of player’s most common complaints – right up until the app removed some of its most central features and according to some entirely broke the game.

Whether or not he is playing Pokemon Go, Uchimura is hoping for success in the real reason that he’s in Rio. He is the reigning gold medalist in the men’s all-round competition but has said that he is just as committed to helping the Japanese team win a gold this year as he is retaining his personal title.

The Nikkan Sports newspaper predicted that ”Uchimura may not get any Pokemon, but he will surely get gold."

But Uchimura’s trip might also prove useful since there are some Pokemon that can only be caught in the Americas.