Romania edges USA for gymnastics gold

ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Japan edged the United States Monday night to win the Olympic men's gymnastics gold medal.

Romania took the bronze, followed by South Korea, China and Russia.

The silver is only the second medal won by the United States in the event during the past 15 Olympics. The other was a gold captured in 1984, when most Soviet-influenced nations boycotted the Games.

Japan won a bronze medal in the event in three of the last four Olympics, but this was that country's first gold since Montreal in 1976.

The six-man Japanese team earned 173.821 points to 172.933 for the Americans. Romania totaled 172.384.

Japan had either the first, second or third best total in all six apparatus used in men's gymnastics. The Americans had the best total in both the floor exercise and the parallel bars, but they were only seventh on the rings.

The Americans put together a team effort with Jason Hamm having the best United States score on two apparatus while Morgan Hamm led on two, Blaine Wilson on one and Jason Gaston on one.