Gymnastics - Beijing offers Yang redemption

By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Beijing Olympics offer Yang Wei the chance of leading China's men to team glory on home soil and finally put the misery of Athens behind him.

The muscle-bound Chinese had the all-around gold medal within his grasp in 2004 after American Paul Hamm fell from the vault, but a fall of his own from the high bar meant Yang returned home without a medal of any kind.

Tumbles also relegated China -- the world champions -- to fifth in the team competition in Athens and that is something Yang is determined to put right in front of his compatriots at the National Indoor Stadium.

"We will transform the glory and pressure into motivation," the 28-year-old said. "The support from the Chinese people fills us with power.

"I believe we will put in total effort in every event and get the result we want through our hard work."

Over the last four years there has been extensive analysis of the team's weak points which has reaped dividends for Yang who won five gold medals at the last two world championships.

China claimed the men's team gold at both championships while Yang became the first man to defend the all-around title in Stuttgart in 2007, despite a dramatic fall from the high bar.

In 2006, he also claimed the parallel bars crown which was particularly significant for the man whose commitment to the communal effort last year saw him named one of 10 most outstanding young persons of China.