(Reuters) – Japan were crowned champions in the men’s team final at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp on Tuesday, claiming their country’s first gold medal at a major international event since 2015.
The five-man group led by reigning world and Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto scored a total of 255.594 points, almost two points ahead of rivals China who finished with 253.794.
Former champions China had finished eighth in Sunday’s qualifying sessions after Zhang Boheng, the 2021 world all-around champion, opted to compete instead at the Asian Games on home soil.
However, they managed to bounce back and beat top teams such as Britain, Canada, who qualified a men’s team for the Olympics for the first time since 2008, Germany and Switzerland.
The U.S. men’s team rounded out the podium in third place and won their first bronze at a world championships or Olympic Games since 2014 with a total of 252.428.
Simone Biles will lead the U.S. women’s team when they go for gold in Antwerp on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon)
