INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Nov 17, 2007 (AFP) - Chellsie Memmel, the 2005 world all-around gymnastics champion, will compete at the Good Luck Beijing Invitational later this month with hopes of a return for the 2008 Olympics.

Memmel and fellow American Bridget Sloan, a member of this year's world championship team, will compete in individual and all-around events. Six US men will be in team and individual disciplines in the November 28-December 3 meet.

BEIJING, Nov 17, 2007 (AFP) - China's double Olympic and eight-time world champion gymnast Li Xiaopeng has recovered from injury and will make his long-awaited comeback next April, state news agency Xinhua said Saturday.

Li, 27, has been out of international competition for two years after a series of injuries, the latest of which was a fractured toe, Xinhua reported.

His return means he should be fit to compete in the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 10, 2007 (AFP) - Japan's Olympic team champion Hiroyuki Tomita blamed fatigue for his below-par performance at the world gymnastics championships which ended here on Sunday.

Tomita had been carrying Japanese hopes of warming up for the defence of their team title at next year's Olympics with a win against Sydney Games winners China.

The 26-year-old was also bidding to reclaim the all-around title he lost last year to Yang Wei.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Shawn Johnson sealed her third world gold on floor and Anastasia Liukin on beam as the United States women's team warmed up for the 2008 Olympics by claiming four of the six titles on offer at the world gymnastics championships which finished here on Sunday.

As their men's team limped home from Germany empty handed, the US women put their country second on the medals table behind China with four gold, two silver and a bronze.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - US star Shawn Johnson became the most successful competitor at the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday when she claimed her third gold as China failed to add to their titles on the final day of competition.

The 15-year-old Johnson showed nerves of steel as she came back after two falls from the beam to seal gold on the floor.

She added to the all-around and team gold she won earlier in the competition as the United States finished second on the medals table behind China with four gold to five for the Chinese.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Medals table after the final day of the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday (gold, silver, bronze, total):

China 5 2 1 8

United States 4 2 1 7

Germany 1 1 1 3

Slovenia 1 1 2

Brazil 1 1 2

Russia 1 1

Poland 1 1

South Korea 1 1

Romania 3 1 4

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Results from the final day of the World Gymnastics Championships here on Sunday:

Appartus finals

Men

Vault

1. Leszek Blanik (POL) 16.512, 2. Ilie Daniel Popescu (ROM) 16.500, 3. Ri Se Gwang (North Korea) 16.387, 4. Ri Jong Song (North Korea) 16.362, 5. Andriy Isayev (Ukraine) 16.250, 6. Fabian Hambuechen (German) 15.975, 7. Flavius Koczi (ROM) 15.825, 8. Isaac Botella Perez (Spain) 15.387

Parallel Bars

STUTTGART, Germnay, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Podiums after the final day of the World Gymnastics Championships here on Sunday:

Men

Team

1. China (Yang Wei, Xiao Qin, Huang Xu, Chen Yibing, Luang Fuliang, Zou Kai)

2. Japan (Hiroyuki Tomita, Hisashi Muzutori, Yosuke Hoshi, Takuya Nakase, Makoto Okiguchi, Shun Kuwahara)

3. Germany (Fabian Hambuechen, Thomas Andergassen, Robert Juckel, Eugen Spiridonov, Marcel Nguyen, Philipp Boy)

All-around

1. Yang Wei (China)

2. Fabian Hambuechen (German)

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Germany's Fabian Hambuechen completed his medal collection when he won gold in the high bar at the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday.

Hambuechen won all-around silver and team bronze with Germany earlier in the week.

The 20-year-old nailed the gold with an acrobatic performance on the high bar which gave him 16.250.

Slovenia's Aljax Pegan, the 2005 winner, finished runner-up for the second straight year with 15.825. Japan's Hisashi Muzutori took bronze (15.775).

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Factfile on Shawn Johnson who won the women's floor title at the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday:

Name: Shawn Johnson

Nationality: American

Place of Birth: Des Moines, Iowa

Hometown: West des Moines, Iowa

Born: January 19, 1992 (15 years)

Height: 4.9ft

Start discipline: 1995

First international event: 2005

Medal record:

World Championships

Gold: 2007 Stuttgart Team Competition, 2007 Stuttgart All-around, 2007 Stuttgart Floor

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Shawn Johnson of the United States won her third gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday when she added the floor title to the team and all-around titles.

Despite a penalty for stepping out-of-bounds the 15-year-old scored 15.250 to take the gold medal ahead of US teammate Alicia Sacramone, the 2005 winner, who achieved 15.225 after stumbling during her routine.

France's Cassy Vericel took bronze with 15.125.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - South Korea's Kim Dae Eun and Mitja Petkovsek of Slovenia shared the parallel bars gold medal after both scored 16.250 at the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday.

Uzbek Anton Fokin took bronze with 16.200.

Defending champion Yang Wei of China finished just sixth after a bad wobble early in his routine saw him score 15.900.

Yang, 27, defended his all-around and team titles during the week.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Anastasia Liukin of the United States won her second gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday when she claimed the beam title.

The 18-year-old Liukin, the 2005 winner on the apparatus, took gold with 16.025 points with Romania's Steliana Nistor and China's Li Shanshan both sharing silver after achieving 15.900.

It was Liukin's second title here this week after helping the United States to the women's team title.

She also won silver on the uneven bars on Saturday.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 9, 2007 (AFP) - Leszek Blanik of Poland won the men's vault gold at the world gymnastics championships here on Sunday.

The 30-year-old achieved a combined 16.512 after two jumps to take the title ahead of Romania's Ilie Daniel Popescu (16.500).

North Korea's Ri Se Gwang took bronze with 16.387.

Two-time defending champion Marian Dragulescu of Romania did not compete because of a back injury.

All-around silver medallist Fabian Hambuechen of Germany finished sixth.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Diego Hypolito gave Brazil their second medal in as many days when he reclaimed his world floor title at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday.

Jade Barbosa won her country's first all-around medal when she shared bronze with Italy's Vanessa Ferrari on Friday night, and the 16-year-old could cap a best-ever showing by Brazil when she competes in Sunday's vault and beam final.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Cheng Fei became the first gymnast to win three consecutive vault titles as China added three more golds to their haul at the world championships here on Saturday.

Cheng achieved the first gold medal by a Chinese woman at the championships as the 2008 Olympic hosts won three of the five gold on offer on the penultimate day of competition, to bring their total to five.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - China's Chen Yibing successfully defended his rings title at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday.

The 23-year-old from Beijing claimed his second gold of the competition after the men's team title earlier in the week, after scoring 16.700 points on the apparatus.

Yuri Van Gelder from the Netherlands, the 2005 winner, took silver with 16.625 with Bulgaria's Jordan Jovtchev taking bronze with 16.575.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Ksenia Semenova of Russia claimed her first world title by winning gold on the uneven bars at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday.

The 14-year-old produced an acrobatic routine to seal gold with 16.350 points, with US star Anastasia Liukin, the 2005 champion and runner-up last year, again settling for silver on 16.300.

China's Yang Yilin took bronze (16.150) with defending champion Elizabeth Tweddle of Britain dropping to fourth (16.125).

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Factfile on Xiao Qin who won a third consecutive men's pommel horse title at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday:

Name: Xiao Qin

Nationality: Chinese

Place of Birth: Jiangsu

Hometown: Nanjing

Born: January 1, 1985 (22 years)

Height: 1.64m/5,4ft

Weight: 55kg/121 lbs

Start discipline: 1990

First international event: 2001

Medal record:

World Championships

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - China's Xiao Qin rode to a third straight world title on pommel horse at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday.

It was the second gold of these championships for the 22-year-old who claimed the team title with China during the week.

He eased to victory with 16.300 to seal gold ahead of Hungary's Krisztian Berki (15.700) with Louis Smith snatching bronze for Britain with 15.600.

All-around champion Yang Wei of China finished fourth (15.475).

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Factfile on Cheng Fei who won a third consecutive women's vault title at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday:

Name: Cheng Fei

Nationality: Chinese

Place of Birth: Huan Shi

Hometown: Beijing

Born: May 29, 1988 (19 years)

Height: 1.53m/5.0ft

Weight: 42kg/93lbs

Start discipline: 1992

First international event: 2003

Medal record:

World Championships

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Cheng Fei gave China their third gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday when she won her third consecutive women's vault title.

The 19-year-old from Beijing scored 15.937 points after two jumps to take the title ahead of North Korea's Hong Su Jong (15.812) with Alicia Sacramone of the United States taking bronze (15.412).

Cheng's gold, her fifth world title in total, made up for the disappointment of China losing the women's team title to the United States earlier in the week.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Brazil's Diego Hypolito claimed his second world gold on floor at the world gymnastics championships here on Saturday.

The 21-year-old from Rio de Janeiro reclaimed the gold he first won in Melbourne in 2005 after having to settle for the runner-up spot las year.

He gave a solid performance to take the title with 16.150 points with Spain's Gervasio Deferr, runner-up in 1999 and 2002, taking silver with 15.950.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Rising star Shawn Johnson upstaged Chinese veteran Yang Wei as the United States matched the 2008 Olympic hosts with a second gold at the world gymnastics championships here on Friday.

The 15-year-old from Iowa set herself up as one of the favourites for the Beijing Games by adding the women's all-around title to the team gold she won earlier this week.

And she warned that this was only the beginning.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Shawn Johnson of the United States won her second title at the world gymnastics championships when she claimed the women's all-around gold here on Friday.

The bubbly 15-year-old from Iowa added to the women's team title she won earlier in the week as she hit all her elements to seal gold with an acrobatic floor routine.

'I came here to win a medal. It's a dream come true,' said rising star Johnson who is now favourite for the 2008 Olympic title, having swept all events she entered this year, including the US national title.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Results from the World Gymnastics Championships here on Friday:

Women's all-around final

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Shawn Johnson of the United States won her second title at world gymnastics championships here on Friday when she claimed the women's all-around gold.

Romania's Steliana Nistor won silver with defending champion Vanessa Ferrari of Italy sharing bronze with Jade Barbosa of Brazil after the Italian fell from the uneven bars.

Johnson, 15, who is competing in her first world championship won the women's team title earlier in the week.

afp07

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Factfile on Yang Wei who won the men's all-around title at the world gymnastics championships here on Friday:

Name: Yang Wei

Nationality: Chinese

Place of Birth: Hubei

Hometown: Hubei

Born: February 8, 1980 (27 years)

Height: 1.60m/5.2ft

Weight: 55kg/121 lbs

Start discipline: 1985

First international event: 1997

Medal record:

Olympic Games:

Gold: 2000 Sydney Team competition

Silver: 2000 Sydney all-around

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - Yang Wei survived another spectacular fall from the high bar to give China their second gold medal of the world gymnastics championships here on Friday.

A day after helping China win a record-equalling eighth men's team crown the 27-year-old Yang, who let 2004 Olympic all-around title slip through his fingers because of a similar high bar tumble, took his seventh world gold.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - China's Yang Wei took his second gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Friday when he successfully defended his all-around title.

After helping China defend their team title on Thursday Yang, 27, managed to hold on to gold despite a bad fall on his final apparatus - the high bar.

Germany's Fabian Hambuechen won silver with Hisashi Mizutori of Japan taking bronze.

afp07

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 6, 2007 (AFP) - The United States' bid to find a replacement for their Olympic silver medallists remains a work in progress as their men's gymnastics team fell off the podium at the world championships here on Thursday.

A year after their humiliating 13th position at worlds, the US men had hit back at their detractors by securing their place in the Beijing Olympics by finishing fourth in qualifiers earlier this week.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 6, 2007 (AFP) - Yang Wei powered China to a third straight men's team title at the world gymnastics championships here Thursday to serve notice of their medal-winning intentions for the Beijing Olympics.

A day after their women's team lost their title to the United States, the six-man squad of Yang, Xiao Qin, Huang Xu, Chen Yibing, Liang Fuliang and Zou Kai gave a demonstration in gymnastics to Olympic champions Japan.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 6, 2007 (AFP) - Defending champions China blew their rivals away to claim a third straight men's title at the world gymnastics championships here on Thursday.

A day after their women's team lost their title to the United States, the six-man squad of Yang Wei, Xiao Qin, Huang Xu, Chen Yibing, Liang Fuliang and Zou Kai gave a demonstration in gymnastics to Olympic champions Japan.

The Chinese lead all the way to claim the title for the eighth time and in the process match the record held by the former Soviet Union.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) - The United States claimed the first gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Wednesday when they won the women's team title for the second time in a drama-filled finale.

Defending champions China had to settle for silver with two-time Olympic champions Romania winning bronze.

The US led three of the four rotations to score 184.400 points with China finishing 0.950 behind with 183.450 and Romania 178.100.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) - The United States claimed the first gold of the world gymnastics championships here on Wednesday when they won the women's team title in a drama-filled finale.

Defending champions China had to settle for silver with two-time Olympic champions Romania winning bronze.

The US led three of the four rotations to score 184.400 points with China finishing 0.950 behind with 183.450 and Romania 178.100.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) - The Beijing dream of Australia's men's gymnastics team ended on Tuesday when they failed to follow their women's team into the 2008 Olympics.

The six-man squad of Prashanth Sellathurai, Samuel Offord, Matthew Curtis, Samuel Simpson, Joshua Jefferis and Thomas Pichler dropped to 19th position with the top 12 advancing to the Olympics.

The championships were a washout for the team who failed to earn a place in either the all-around or individual apparatus finals.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 4, 2007 (AFP) - Fabian Hambuechen powered hosts Germany into the bronze medal position behind China and Japan after the second day of team qualifying at the world gymnastics championships here on Tuesday.

Champions China held their overnight lead, 374.275, ahead of Olympic titleholders Japan, 370.725, with Germany third on 364.350, just marginally ahead of the United States, 364.000.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 4, 2007 (AFP) - Fit-again Anastasia Liukin has gold in her eyes as the United States bid to reclaim the world title they lost to China last year in Wednesday's women's team final at the world gymnastics championships.

Liukin, the 2005 world champion on uneven bars and balance beam, was hampered by an ankle injury when her team lost their world title to the Cheng Fei-inspired Chinese at last year's worlds in Aarhus, Denmark.

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) - China look set to surpass their gold-medal haul from last year's worlds as Yang Wei fired the 2008 Olympic hosts into pole position ahead of the Hiroyuki Tomita-inspired Japanese during men's qualifying at the world gymnastics championships on Monday.

Yang was the most successful man in Aarhus, Denmark last year when he won three of his country's eight gold medals - the team, all-around and parallel bar titles.

And the defending champions could do better this time in the qualifying event for the Beijing Games.