Vault champion Yang suffers injury, unlikely for Rio - media

South Korea's Yang Hak-seon competes in the men's floor exercise final of the artistic gymnastics competition during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon September 24, 2014. REUTERS/Issei Kato

SEOUL (Reuters) - Olympic vault champion Yang Hak-seon, South Korea's first gold medal winner in gymnastics, looks set to miss out on the chance to defend his title at Rio de Janeiro Games after suffering an Achilles injury.

Yang, also vault world champion in 2011 and 2013, suffered the injury during floor practice at the Taeneung National Training Center in Seoul on Tuesday and had surgery the following day.