Teenager Feng Jing made history in becoming the youngest ever men's all-around world champion on Thursday when he struck a surprise gold for China.
The 16-year-old pushed two-time world champion and favorite Ivan Ivankov of Belarus into second with the bronze going to Jordan Jovtchev of Bulgaria.
In a tight contest Feng, the youngest member of the Chinese team, was the most consistent performer, scoring a combined 56.211 points, with Ivankov just behind on 56.124 and Jovtchev, bronze medallist in 1999, on 56.085.
"My name is Feng Jing and I come from China," joked the youngster to those who rushed to find out more on this unknown gymnast.
The newcomer, who is the Chinese youth champion, was called up following the decision of the country's top stars to stay home for the national championships.
But the newly-crowned champion said that decision was part of a strategy by China - the five-time world and Olympic team champions - to build a strong team of up-and-coming world-beaters.
"China wants to train young gymnasts. That's why I came here. The aim is to choose for the 2004 Olympics," said Feng, who becomes the second Chinese world champion after Li Xiaoshuang won in 1995 in Japan. He went on to win the Olympic title the following year.
China had looked set to be deprived of a podium place in Ghent after placing just fifth in the team event. Feng himself placed just ninth in the individual qualifiers after falling off the high bar.
But he kept the nerves from gnawing at him in the final, particularly in the decisive pommel horse rotation.
"Before it I was a bit nervous but my coach told me just to do it and that there would be no problem.
"I didn't hear any of the cheering and knew I could do it because I practiced hard," added Feng, who started gymnastics aged six in his native Shanxi.
Meanwhile it was the second medal of these championships for 26-year-old Ivankov who led Belarus to team gold on Wednesday.
Ivankov, winner in 1994 and 1997, looked set to miss out on a podium spot after trailing in the first two rotations with just 8.825 in the pommel horse, but he scored the top marks on the parallel bars and the high bar.
But the man from Minsk was not disappointed by being pipped to an historic third title by a gymnast 10 years his junior.
"I'm second today to a boy from China and all I can say is that he's really good and so young that it's just the beginning for him," said Ivankov.
And the two-time European all-around champion expressed amazement that people had given the youthful Chinese teams little chance of glory.
"I'm not surprised. China's always strong and can win every world championships. They have three teams so it doesn't matter if the best one doesn't come.
"They're young but all they lacked was experience."
Americans Sean Townsend and Paul Hamm dashed their medal hopes when both dramatically fell off the high bar in their final routine.
Townsend had been leading the field with the gold in his sights but failed to catch a Kovacs and remounted only to repeat a second fall moments later, scoring just 8.250 in that discipline.
The 22-year-old Texan finished down the field in eighth on 55.273 points.
Hamm suffered the same fate. While in third place he crashed on a combination and finished just seventh.
Townsend's coach Kevin Mazeika said the pair had let the pressure get to them. "It happens in competition. You win some and lose some. I'm proud of how they performed here," said Mazeika.
Townsend had led the US team to an historic team silver Wednesday, the highest placing ever for an American team at world level.
(People?s Daily November 3, 2001)
