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World championships third-placers Japan took a sweet revenge on Monday (August 16) to claim the men's gymnastics team title at the Athens Olympics with a total score of 173.821 points.

It was Japan's first men's team gold since 1976.

Japan, who placed first in the qualification, continued their momentum in the final.

China, defending Olympic and world champions, sank to fifth with 171.257 points because of three fatal blunders on floor, parallel bars and high bar, all by inexperienced Teng Haibin.

The result was the worst for the Chinese team since 1984 although Xiao Qin scored an event-high 9.862 on pommel horse.

Teng Haibin said after the competition, "I really have some problems, and I must review my performance today."

Captain Huang Xu said, "It is natural to see failures. For Teng,he is still young and it's his first Olympics."

"I think this defeat will help him be mature in the future," Huang said.

Thanks to the stable performance by twin brothers Paul Hamm and Morgan Hamm, the United States, world runners-up, took another silver in Athens with 172.933 points.

Pommel king Daniel Urzica and Marian Dragulescu led Romania onto the podium with 172.384 points.

Editor: Lin Shujun