Japan has once again demonstrated its gymnastics supremacy, overcoming a tense final stretch to secure the men’s team gold at the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
The Japanese team finished with 251.928 points, ahead of World Gymnastics 2, representing Russian gymnasts competing under neutral status, which scored 250.329. China claimed bronze with 249.193 points.
The victory extends Japan’s remarkable run in major international team competition, following its world championship triumph in 2023 and Olympic team gold at the Paris 2024 Games. The latest result further strengthens Japan’s position heading toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Daiki Hashimoto delivers when the pressure is highest
One of the defining moments came from Japanese star Daiki Hashimoto, the 2020 Olympic all-around champion and a three-time world all-around champion.
With the team title hanging in the balance, Hashimoto delivered a strong horizontal-bar routine and scored 14.866, helping Japan finish its campaign on top.
According to Reuters and The Japan Times, the competition remained tight during the closing rotations, with Japan having to withstand pressure from China, Russia and Great Britain before securing the victory.
Japan’s win was not simply a matter of individual star power. Consistent performances across the six men’s apparatus helped the team remain competitive as the standings shifted throughout the final.
Final standings: Japan takes gold as Russia and China complete the podium
The men’s team final produced the following results:
| Rank | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan — Gold | 251.928 |
| 2 | World Gymnastics 2 — Silver | 250.329 |
| 3 | China — Bronze | 249.193 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 247.395 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 246.497 |
| 6 | United States | 245.161 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 241.294 |
| 8 | Colombia | 240.093 |
Source: NBC Sports and International Gymnast Magazine.
Great Britain had led for much of the contest but lost ground after costly mistakes on the parallel bars and horizontal bar. China also saw its gold-medal hopes weakened by errors during the closing stages, allowing Russia to move into silver-medal position.
Russia returns to the podium as China settles for bronze
Russia’s silver medal was another major storyline of the competition. Its gymnasts competed as World Gymnastics 2, without the Russian national flag or anthem, under the restrictions affecting the country’s participation in international gymnastics.
The team produced a strong finish to overtake China for second place, marking a significant return to the top tier of international men’s team gymnastics.
Reuters
+1
China, meanwhile, demonstrated its strength on individual apparatus, including an outstanding 15.366 parallel-bars score from Zou Jingyuan. However, mistakes on other events prevented the Chinese squad from catching Japan.
Japan’s victory brings an early Olympic reward
Beyond the world title, the result has immediate implications for the next Olympic cycle.
Japan, World Gymnastics 2 and China—the three medal-winning teams—secured men’s team qualification places for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Teams that missed the podium will need to pursue the remaining qualification opportunities.
For Japan, the championship victory provides another major achievement in a period of sustained success. For its rivals, the narrow margins in Rotterdam underline how a single mistake can change the outcome of a world-level competition.
The men’s team final may be over, but the battle for individual honors continues. The men’s all-around final is scheduled for October 22, setting the stage for another showdown involving Hashimoto and his Japanese teammate Shinnosuke Oka, the reigning Olympic all-around champion.
Japan leaves Rotterdam with the gold medal, a secured Olympic team place and another statement of intent. The question now is whether its leading gymnasts can carry that momentum into the individual finals and maintain their advantage as the road to Los Angeles continues.
