Zhang wins pommel horse to finally put China on medals board at gymnastics world championships

Zhang gives China first gold at gymnastics worlds

LONDON — Zhang Hongtao has given China its first gold medal from these world gymnastics championships.

Zhang won the title on pommel horse Saturday, easily beating Hungary’s Kriztian Berki and Australia’s Prashanth Sellathurai. American Tim McNeill, competing at his first world championships, was fifth.

The Chinese men won all but one title at the Beijing Olympics, including the team and all-around golds. But they brought only two members of that team here, and haven’t been anywhere near as dominant.

Earlier Saturday, American Kayla Williams won the women’s vault title and Marian Dragulescu of Romania won the men’s floor.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LONDON (AP) — Kayla Williams is taking home quite a souvenir from her first international competition.

The young American won the women’s vault title at the world gymnastics championships Saturday, just five months after she was competing at the level below elites. Williams had a combined score of 15.087 for her two vaults, putting her well ahead of Switzerland’s Ariella Kaeslin and Youna Dufournet of France.

It’s the second gold medal at these worlds for the Americans, and their first ever on vault.

Earlier Saturday, Romania’s Marian Dragulescu won the men’s floor title.