China edges past Japan as Olympic gymnastics kicks off

China shaded Japan in men's artistic gymnastics qualifying at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

On a frenetic first day's action at Bercy Arena, a boisterous crowd was treated to a taste of the thrills and spills ahead, with American superstar Simone Biles making her eagerly awaited entrance on Sunday.

But it was the men who held center stage first as teams and individuals went in search of their tickets to the all-around and apparatus finals.

With reigning team all-around champions Russia excluded following the invasion of Ukraine the team title is vacant, and China emerged as favourites to take gold for the first time since London 2012 on Monday.

Led by Olympic debutant Zhang Boheng, China topped the team qualifying standings by 2.434 points from Japan ahead of the day's third and final session.

Britain, featuring world vault champion Jake Jarman and double Olympic pommel horse gold medallist Max Whitlock, are provisionally placed third ahead of Ukraine and the United States.

Zhang, who took up gymnastics at the tender age of four, leads the individual all-around table from Japan's Shinnosuke Oka and defending champion Daiki Hashimoto.

"I'm happy with that, it's my highest score in a major competition this year" said Zhang.

Hashimoto, seeking to emulate his compatriot, the great Kohei Uchimura, by securing back-to-back titles in gymnastics' blue riband event, will have to up his game on Monday.

The youngest ever all-around Olympic champion -- he was 19 when lifting gold at the Covid-delayed 2020 Tokyo Games -- trailed Zhang by over three and a half points at the end of all-around qualifying.

Recovering from an injury in Paris, he also won horizontal bar gold in Tokyo but failed to make the final this time after falling flat on his landing to finish well outside the eight qualifiers led currently by Zhang.

The 2023 world all-around champion blamed a touch of ring rustiness after being away from competition for several months.

Chinese athletes also headed qualifying for the parallel bars courtesy of Zou Jingyuan, who produced the highest score of the day with 16.200 points.

The 26-year-old parallel bars champion in Tokyo was also sitting atop qualification for rings.

With China and Japan forecast to fight it out for team gold, Britain look well placed for a medal after a hugely encouraging day's qualifying.

Whitlock overcame nerves at his last Olympics to lie a close second to American Stephen Nedoroscik on the pommel horse.

The 31-year-old is seeking a third consecutive title and an unprecedented record fourth medal on the same apparatus at the 2024 Games.

"That was crazy, crazy. I think I've never felt emotions like that in a competition" he smiled.

"The nerves were there big time. I think you'll never get used to the minute you kind of feel zero nerves in a competition."

Teammate Jarman, at his first Games, called Whitlock "an inspiration".

 'It's insane'  

"He's someone to look up to, he's a really big role model. He's a really experienced gymnast. He comes to these competitions and does his job time and time again.

"I don't know how he does it."

Among the crowd was Jill Biden, representing US President Joe Biden, who made a point of chatting to the American team who are set for the team final in fifth.

Paul Juda, a first-time Olympian, found tumbling, diving and vaulting far less nerve-wracking than his meeting with the First Lady.

"I still don't even get that," Juda said after he and teammates were introduced to Biden. "I'm still in shock.

"And they were like, 'Oh, you're celebrities.' I'm, like, 'No, I'm just a gymnast from Deerfield, Illinois' -- it's insane."

The biggest roar from the home crowd was saved meanwhile for Samir Ait Said.

The French gymnast suffered a horrific leg break in Rio, returned to take fourth in Tokyo and is set for the rings final at his third Olympics and a possible emotional medal.