Chinese gymnasts back on top with best-ever Olympic performance

This is Zou's third gold at the Beijing Olympics, after he won in the team and floor exercise finals. The three golds also made Zou the biggest winner at the Beijing Olympic gymnastics.

But in balance beam, China's traditional favourite apparatus, U.S. pair Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin defeated their Chinese challengers Cheng Fei and Li Shanshan to pocket the gold and silver. Cheng won the bronze.

"The gymnastics competitions of the Beijing Olympics were spectacular. Some of them were so fierce," said Gao Jian, director of the gymnastics center of the State General Administration of Sport, the country's Sports Ministry.

"I can assure you some gymnastics competitions at the Beijing Games, such as men's team and women's team contests, are classics which cannot be seen for a very long time," said Gao. "We are so proud of our team. Our four years' hard work eventually paid off."

For the Chinese gymnastics team, their victory at the Beijing Olympics has never come easily, specially after their Waterloo in Athens. In Athens, the Chinese gymnasts brought home a sole gold medal, much to the disappointment of their compatriots.

As a matter of fact, gymnastics, one of the sports that brought China most Olympics gold medals, means so much to the country and its people. Three gymnasts were chosen for important roles at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Former gymnast Huang Liping swore at the ceremony on behalf of judges, Li Xiaoshuang, one of China's greatest gymnasts of his age, was one of the eight torch bearers, and above all, China's gymnastics legend Li Ning lit the cauldron.