Parallel Bars, Men

The format was the same as it had been from 1984-2004, with eight gymnasts advancing from the team all-around, but no more than two per nation. Gold in this event went to China’s Li Xiaopeng who had also won the Olympic gold medal in 2000 at Sydney. His staggered victories made him the first Olympic gymnast ever to win an individual event twice, but not consecutively. Li had been hampered by foot and ankle injuries since 2000, finally undergoing surgery in 2006. The silver went to Korean Yon Won-Cheol, the 2006 silver medalist at the Worlds. Slovenian Mitja Petkovšek, the 2005 and 2007 World Champion on parallel bars, was not at his best in Beijing, placing fifth in qualifying and the final round.