Gymnastics: Chinese gold rush floors host nation Japan

The Beijing Olympic champions scored a winning total of 275.161 points to leave Japan (273.093) in second place again and the United States (273.083) with bronze.

Mistakes by Yusuke Tanaka and twice world champion Kohei Uchimura cost Japan dear after they topped qualifying.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Uchimura, who stunned the crowd by misjudging a somersault above the high bar and came down with a thud.

“It goes to show if you make mistakes like that it will hurt you.”

After looking ordinary by their standards in qualifying, China again did the business when it counted. They have now won every world title since 2003.

The Chinese, who have also won two of the last three Olympics, were third after qualifying, giving Japan hope of ending their long wait for a men’s world title.

China, however, powered away from their rivals with some electrifying displays on the high bar and floor exercise.

“We’re strong on the bar so I didn’t think we would make any mistakes,” said Zou Kai. “It was hard to get used to qualifying in third but we always aim for gold. We’ve written a new chapter in history.”

John Orozco of the US team said: “It’s going to be hard for anyone [to beat China at the Olympics] but anything can happen.”

A shocking 245.175 from eighth-place Romania will have left Britain’s men wondering how they contrived to fail to qualify for this final.

All the teams who reached the final are safely through to the Olympic Games next year, whereas the British must now compete at the Olympic test event – at London’s O2 Arena in January – and finish in the top four to be sure of a place.

Barring a complete disaster, however, they should be fine, but they could certainly have done without this lapse in Tokyo.

Today’s action sees the world’s top female gymnasts return to action for their all-around final, judged on performances across all four apparatus – the floor, beam, bars and vault. Hannah Whelan is Britain’s lone entrant in the 24-woman final