LONDON — When there’s gold to be gotten, don’t ever doubt the Chinese men’s gymnastics team.
When there’s silver and bronze on the line, don’t count anyone out.
The Chinese won their second consecutive Olympic title and third in four Games on Monday, after many had written them off following a dismal performance in qualifying.
“After getting up from bed I thought we were going to win it,” said Chen Yibing, one of only two holdovers from the 2008 squad. “We have the abilities and the skills.”
China’s score of 275.997 points was more than four points better than Japan, which needed help from a DVR to finish second.
Britain initially was announced as the silver medalist, setting off raucous celebrations at the O2 Arena, Princes William and Harry included. The British don’t have a proud history in gymnastics - barely any at all - and this was their first men’s team medal in a century.
But Japan questioned the score of three-time world champion Kohei Uchimura on pommel horse, the very last routine.
While judges huddled around a video screen, the British partied and Uchimura and his teammates sat stone faced against a wall.
“I couldn’t say anything,” Uchimura said. “I couldn’t think anything at the very beginning. I was thinking, ‘It’s fourth, it’s fourth.’ ”
About five minutes later, though, it was silver.
Uchimura’s score was revised, with judges giving him seven-tenths more credit for his dismount. Instead of 13.466, he scored 14.166 - enough to move Japan from fourth to second with a total of 271.952.
Britain was bumped down to bronze, while Ukraine dropped to fourth.
China now has gone eight years without losing at a major competition.
The Americans, hoping for their first Olympic title since 1984 after finishing No. 1 in qualifying, lost all hopes for a medal with a dismal showing on pommel horse, their second event. They rallied to finish fifth.
BASKETBALL U.S. women roll
Candace Parker and the U.S. women’s team are 2 for 2 in London, and this one was a laugher.
Parker had 14 points and 12 rebounds to help the United States to a 90-38 rout of Angola.
The Americans (2-0) have won their past 35 games in the Olympics and four consecutive gold medals while Angola is looking for its first victory.
France had the most surprising victory of the day, edging Australia 74-70 in overtime. Emilie Gomis scored all 22 of her points after halftime.
Belinda Snell connected from just past half-court at the end of regulation, giving Australia a chance. But the Aussies had to play the extra session without stars Lauren Jackson and Liz Cambage - both had fouled out.
BOXING Australian rallies
Light heavyweight Damien Hooper of Australia rallied from a third-round deficit for a 13-11 victory over Marcus Browne, handing the U.S. team its first loss in London after a 4-0 start.
Hooper and Browne put on perhaps the best three minutes of the day after both fighters cautiously fought the first two rounds. The Australian raised his aggression in the third to overwhelm Browne, a Staten Island, N.Y., product.
VOLLEYBALL U.S. women beat Brazil
The U.S. women’s team beat Brazil in an early rematch of the Beijing Games final.
Destinee Hooker had 23 points and Jordan Larson added 18 for the top-ranked Americans, who won 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21 to improve to 2-0 in pool play at Earls Court.
Sheilla Castro had 15 points for No. 2 Brazil, which was energized after a third-set victory but lost on Logan Tom’s floater in the fourth set.
The American women have never won an Olympic gold medal in volleyball.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL American duo wins
Two-time gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings earned their 16th consecutive Olympic victory, beating the Czech Republic in straight sets.
It was May-Treanor’s 35th birthday when the match started, but because of TV schedules and a long match earlier in the session, it ended shortly after midnight.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lost to Poland in pool play, the first setback for the American men or women in beach volleyball at the Games.
DIVING China gets gold
China is dominating the diving boards - again.
Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan totaled 486.78 points in the men’s 10-meter synchronized platform, giving the country its second gold medal in the sport at the Games.
German Sanchez and Ivan Garcia of Mexico had the highest degree of difficulty in the competition and it paid off with the silver.
Nick McCrory and David Boudia of the U.S. took the bronze with 463.47.
Sports, Pages 20 on 07/31/2012