Japan defends men's team gymnastics world title in Rotterdam

The Japanese men's gymnastics team successfully defended their world title at the World Championships in Rotterdam. Led by Tokyo Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto, who delivered a standout performance on the horizontal bar, Japan finished with 251.928 points.

Russia, competing as ‘World Gymnastics 2’, took second place with 250.329 points, while China secured third place with 249.193 points. The top three teams have officially qualified for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Nine additional qualifying spots will be determined at the World Championships in Chengdu this autumn.

The competition faced a brief delay when technicians had to repair a defect in the floor structure. This required dismantling a section of the surface and installing replacement parts before the fourth rotation could proceed.

The German men's team finished 15th in the qualification round, missing the team final. German national coach Jens Milbradt noted that the team has significant work ahead to improve their standing.