Chinese gymnast Xiao Qin won the men's pommel horse crown at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.
Xiao, reigning world champion who entered the final in first place, took the gold medal in 15.875 points.
Pilip Ude of Croatia took the silver in 15.725 points and Louis Smith of Britain won the bronze with the same score of 15.725 points under a tie-break rule.
With Xiao's victory, host China had reaped five gymanstic gold medals so far at the Beijing Olympics, the most golds its gymnasts had won at an Olympic Games.
The previous record was set at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, when China claimed four gymnastics golds.
Xiao, a three-time world champion on pommel horse, performed powerful swings, circles and undercuts on a difficulty of 6.4 points to claim his first Olympic individual title.
"I intended to do this (winning the gold) in the Athens Olympics but I didn't have the chance. Today I was able to do it," said 23-year-old Xiao.
Asked why he cried out that "I get to take a vacation" after winning the gold, Xiao said the longest holiday he had had in the last few years was three days due to training. "Now I can finally take a rest," he said.
But he said he was not as excited as he was when he won the team gold medal, because after winning the team title, he and his teammates "finally released the pressure that had built up for so many years."
The victory was somewhat like a revenge for Xiao, as he fell during qualifications and failed to make the final in the 2004 Athens Olympics. His flaw on his speciality also pulled the Chinese men's team down in the team title contest.
Ude was also happy with a silver medal as it's a frog-leap in his gymnastics career. He only finished 29th on pommel horse at the 2007 world championships.
"I was the last performer and when I finished my routine I know I should have a medal because I had stronger performance today," he said.
"For me, it's a dream come true. I dedicate this (the medal) to my mum, my family, my sisters, my coaches and everyone who has cheered for me, " he said.
Smith's bronze medal is his country's first individual apparatus medal. The 19-year-old described the win as something "crazy, amazing, emotional, scary, nervous everything". He said he yearned for a gold medal.
After five days of competition, there are six gymnastics golds left for grab at the Beijing Olympic Games.
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