Chen, Cheng and Xiao add to Chinese gold rush at worlds
Chinese gymnasts reaped more gold at the world championships, claiming another three titles to bring their haul to six out of nine so far.
Chen Yibing, 22, won his first individual title when he took rings gold, as Xiao Qin, 21, successfully defended the pommel horse and 18-year-old Cheng Fei held her women's vault crown.
Yang Wei won the men's all-around earlier in the week as China also defended their men's team title and won the women's team title for the first time at the expense of holders the United States.
But the team received a blow with the news that Zhang Nan, among the favourites in Saturday's beam final, is uncertain to compete after picking up an injury in training.
Cheng, meanwhile, put their success down to new focus in the team ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"We definitely didn't expect this success," said Cheng.
"It's because the team preparation has been so good. We always had quality but to be winners you need to perform consistently. You need to be stable as a team for success and we had that now."
Chen Yibing made up for his disappointing fourth in the all-around by taking gold on the rings with 16.525 ahead of of Bulgaria's 2001 and 2003 world champion Jordan Jovtchev (16.325) and defending champion Yuri Van Gelder of the Netherlands.
And Chen paid tribute to teammate and newly-crowned all-around champion Yang, 26, who failed to medal in the rings, dropping to fourth after stepping forward on his landing.
"Yang Wei is a very good role model for me. I've learned a lot from him and have so much to learn," said Chen.
Earlier Xiao proved he was king of the pommel horse.
The 21-year-old from Jiangscu scored 16.025 to take gold ahead of Prashanth Sellathurai as the 20-year-old Australian won his first world medal after achieving 15.750.
Alexander Artemev of the United States took bronze (15.500).
After helping their women's win their first team title, Cheng successfully defended her vault title pulling ahead of 19-year-old Alicia Sacramone of the United States on her second vault.
Cheng scored 15.712 after two jumps, with Sacramone, who had lead after the first vault, finishing second on 15.325.
Veteran 31-year-old former Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, the 2003 world champion on the apparatus and now competing for Germany, took bronze.
The Chinese did not have it all their own way Thursday with Elizabeth Tweedle giving Britain their first ever world gymnastics gold, winning the uneven bars, as Romanian Marian Dragulescu won his third men's floor title.
Tweedle, 21, came back after a fall from the uneven bars left her just eighth in Thursday's all-around final.
"I'm absolutely ecstatic. I've had the bronze medal at the last two world championships. I came out today after that fall and to get through it is an achievement," said the European champion.
Tweedle (16.200) pushed US favourite Anastasia Liukin into silver medal position.
Liukin had been limited to her title defence on uneven bars because of an ankle sprain.
Competiting first Liukin looked to have won after scoring 16.050, but Tweedle held her nerve.
"I went back to the gym and didn't see any of her performance. I just knew I I to go out there and do the best routine I could and thankfully it brought me out on top," said the Briton.
Fifteen-year-old Vanessa Ferrari, who won Italy's first ever women's title when she claimed the all-around gold Thursday, took bronze with 15.775.
China did not have a competitor in the uneven bars final.
Dragulescu, 26, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and 2001 and 2002 world champion on floor, took gold ahead of defending champion Diego Hypolito of Brazil. Olympic champion Kyle Shewfelt of Canada won bronze.
China's Zou Kai finished sixth.
China have a chance to add to their tally on the final day of competition Saturday with Yang competing in the parallel bars final, with Cheng among the favourites on the women's floor.
But Zhang, the leading qualifier on beam, is uncertain after being carried from the training arena and taken to hospital for tests.
"It's a miracle if she can compete tomorrow," said the Chinese team doctor without giving details of the injury.
The Chinese do not have qualifiers in the men's vault and high bar finals.
AFP
