China　defend　mens　team　world　title

 China's　men's　gymnastic　team　celebrates　the　gold　medal　in　the　team　all-around　competition　at　the　40th　World　Artistic　Gymnastics　Championships　in　Stuttgart　September　6,　2007.　Sept.　7　-　Reigning　champions　China　beat　Japan　to　defend　the　men's　team　title　at　the　World　Artistic　Gymnastics　Championships　on　Thursday.　
　The　expected　close　showdown　turned　out　to　be　a　lopsided　competition　in　which　China　led　Japan　from　start　to　end,　accumulating　281.900　points　for　the　gold　medal.　
　Japan　were　left　a　far　second　in　277.025　and　the　bronze　medal　went　to　hosts　Germany　in　273.525,　who　delivered　performance　just　as　strong　as　in　the　qualifications　once　more　to　the　home　crowd　ovation.　
　The　first　two　ranks　were　fought　out　between　the　two　Asian　powers　although　South　Koreans　and　Romanians　finished　the　first　two　rotations　in　leading　positions.　
　China　started　solid　on　floor　where　Zou　Kai　had　slight　insecurity　in　the　execution　but　overall　got　through　his　difficult　routine　well　(15.700).　
　Chinese　led　Japan　by　0.425　points　after　the　first　apparatus　and　built　up　their　advantage　on　pommel　horse.　Pommel　horse　expert　Xiao　Qin　had　a　real　world　class　performance,　receiving　an　amazing　16.225.　
　It　seemed　that　the　title　was　already　beyond　Japan's　reach　midway　when　China　scored　a　total　of　47.525　points　on　rings　and　were　4.4　points　ahead　overall.　Chen　Yibin　impressed　with　a　well-executed　layout　and　his　16.450　was　the　highest　on　the　apparatus.　
　The　Japanese　side　were　a　shock　seventh　after　under-par　performance　on　rings.　Although　they　battled　through　vaulting　back　to　second　place,　their　mishap　was　aggravated　with　Hisashi　Muzutori　staggering　in　his　landing.　
　Before　the　final　rotation　of　high　bar,　China　had　extended　the　edge　to　6.1　points　over　Japan.　Although　Japanese　high　bar　specialists　concluded　their　presentation　with　dazzling　turns　and　somersaults,　it　was　just　too　late　for　them　to　stage　a　comeback　miracle.