China's Xiao Qin performs on the pommel horse during the men's apparatus final of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. Xiao Qin claimed the title of the event with 15.875 points. [Xinhua Photo]

Chinese gymnast Xiao Qin won the men's pommel horse crown Sunday at the Beijing Olympics.

Xiao, reigning world champion who entered the final in first place, took the gold medal in 15.875 points.

Pilip Ude of Croatia took the silver in 15.725 points and Louis Smith of Britain won the bronze with the same score of 15.725 points under a tie-break rule.

With Xiao's victory, host China reaped five gymnastics gold medals so far at the Beijing Olympics, the most gymnastics golds it has won at an Olympic Games.

The previous record was set at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, when China claimed four gymnastics golds.

Xiao, a three-time world champion on pommel horse, performed powerful swings, circles and undercuts on a difficulty of 6.4 points to claim his first Olympic individual title.

"I intended to do this (winning the gold) in the Athens Olympics but I didn't have the chance. Today I was able to do it," said the 23-year-old Xiao.

Asked why he cried out that "I get to take a vacation" after winning the gold, Xiao said the longest holiday he had had in the last few years was three days. "Now I can finally take a rest," he said.

But he said he was not as excited as he was when he won the team gold medal, because after winning the team, he and his teammates "finally released the pressure that had built up for so many years."

The victory was so