DPA
Paris
Japan won their eighth Olympic men’s gymnastics team gold on Monday in Paris after China threw away victory with a poor horizontal bars segment.
China, who produced stunning efforts on the rings and parallel bars, had to settle for silver amid high drama and the United States finished third for their first medal since 2008.
Britain, who finished fourth, led after the first rotation thanks to three-time gold medallist Max Whitlock’s 15.266 points on the pommel horse.
The US took over at the top of the standings after the second rotation following a superb 14.833 from Asher Hong on the vault in the Bercy Arena.
Japan slipped back meanwhile after Tokyo all around champion and team silver medallist Daiki Hashimoto slipped off the pommel horse.
China then had the advantage at the halfway stage through three rotations after Liu Yang’s stunning routine on the rings garnered a near perfect 15.500.
Zhang Boheng’s impressive 15.100 on the parallel bars through rotation five put China further ahead but even he was outdone by team mate Zou Jingyuan’s remarkable 16.000, which left the crowd gasping with admiration.
But the Chinese self destructed on the horizontal bar on the last rotation when Xiao Ruoteng landed on his knees and Su Weide twice fell.
Hashimoto took advantage with a spectacular high bar routine of his own to snatch gold.
The Russian gymnasts who won gold three years ago in Tokyo were not included in the Paris team competition.
The women’s team final, set to feature US four-time gold medallist Simone Biles, is on Tuesday ahead of the individual events starting on Wednesday with the men’s all-around final.
