With a score of 257.858 points, the Chinese, only fourth in qualifying on Monday, were more than four points ahead of their Japanese rivals led by double Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto (253.395 pts).

They offer China the thirteenth world team title in its history, the last dating from 2018.

"This team gold medal means Chinese men's gymnastics is back," said reigning all-around world champion Zhang Boheng.

Sign of their domination, they won first place on Wednesday in five of the six contests of the evening.

"We did so much better than in qualifying. We had a day to reflect and clear our heads. We made adjustments and we did our best in the final. We were really on the pace and in the right momentum today," he said.

Despite a fall and fragile nerves, the Chinese made the difference on their first apparatus, the dreaded pommel horse, taking a 2.5 point lead over their runners-up.

The Olympic parallel bars champion Zou Jingyuan then particularly shone on his favorite apparatus, above the lot with a score of 15.766 and an almost perfect execution rewarded with 9.266 points.

Conversely on the Japanese side, Daiki Hashimoto, presented as the new boss of world men's gymnastics, fell on his strong apparatus, the horizontal bar.

In total, the Japanese fell twice on pommel and once on high bar.

"We were stressed. Personally, my body was not on top and I made a mistake that I don't usually do," said Doi Ryosuke.

The expected duel between Hashimoto, triple medalist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, and Zhang Boheng is scheduled for Friday in the individual all-around competition.

- "The comeback of my life" -

Pushed by their public, the British (247.229 pts), eighth and last two rotations from the end, went for the bronze medal.

In great difficulty on pommel horse, the European champions in Munich this summer found the resources to get back into the race.

Briton Joe Fraser after his move to the parallel bars during the team competition at the World Gymnastics Championships on November 2, 2022 in Liverpool Paul ELLIS AFP

"I said to the guys, + Ok, we have nothing to lose. Let's do what we know how to do +", said Joe Fraser.

"It's the comeback of my life. We never doubted."

"The fact that we didn't give up shows, not only to gymnasts but to people around the world, that no matter where you are, fight until the end," continued Giarni Regini-Moran.

"Don't give up. Look at the result, we finished with a bronze medal. I can't believe it, I'm in shock."

China, Japan and Great Britain validate their qualifications for the 2024 Olympics, while the other teams will still have to fight at the Worlds-2023 to hope to win a ticket for Paris.

The competition continues Thursday with the all-around women's competition, where the Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, revelation of the Tokyo Olympics, is the favorite of a fairly open final.

© 2022 AFP