It was a high-stakes Monday in Nanning, south the Chinese mainland's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where Zhang Boheng reclaimed his men’s all-around crown at the National Gymnastics Championships, topping the podium with a stellar 82.965 points.
After two straight individual titles since 2022 and a surprise loss last year, Zhang entered the competition with a neck injury suffered just one day before departure. Yet he powered through a stumble on the pommel horse and stood alone above the 80-point mark.
Shi Cong, Zhang’s main rival, faced his own setback when a broken rib and pneumothorax almost sidelined him. Despite a fall from the horizontal bar in the final rotation, he secured silver with 79.765 points.
“I thought I would not be able to compete here back then. So even now I’m still fifty percent away from my top form, and I’m very satisfied with myself,” Shi said after the final.
Lan Xingyu completed the podium with 79.632 points, claiming bronze and underscoring the depth of talent at this year’s event.
Meanwhile, across the East China Sea, nearly 20 Japanese male all-around gymnasts topped 80 points at the NHK Cup under the new 2025–2028 Code of Points. Zhang acknowledged the challenge ahead:
“Compared with competitors like Japan, we need to boost our understanding of the new rules to stay competitive on the world stage,” he said.
As the gymnastics community pivots toward global competitions, the men’s team will be watching every code update, injury recovery and fine-tuned routine. One thing is certain: the road to the Paris Olympics just got more thrilling.
Reference(s):
Zhang Boheng wins all-around gold at National Gymnastics Championships
cgtn.com
