Pommelled Horse, 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. China’s Xiao Qin had won the last three World Championships, was known as the “Pommel King,” and was expected to win. He led the qualifying with 16.000 points, light-years ahead of the other gymnasts. His final performance had a slight break in routine but he still won the gold medal with 15.875 points. Silver and bronze medals went to Croatian Filip Ude and Britain’s Louis Smith, respectively, although this was only decided after a tie-breaker. Ude’s medal was the first ever in Olympic gymnastics for Croatia, while Smith won Britain’s first individual gymnastic medal since Walter Tysall in 1908. He would return in 2012 at London and add an Olympic silver medal on pommels.