Hiroyuki Tomita fulfilled pre-championship predictions and became the first Japanese gymnast in 31 years to win the men's all around title at the world gymnastics championships yesterday.

The 25-year-old Tomita, who pipped compatriot Hisashi Mizutori to head qualifying, scored 56.698 in the six disciplines to beat Mizutori, who made 55.349 and Denis Savenkov of Belarus who finished third with 55.112.

The pair provided the first one-two for a country in the all around final at a world championships since Grigori Misutin and Vitaly Scherbo of the Soviet Union won gold and silver respectively at the 1991 championships in Indianapolis.

"I am really, really happy," Tomita told reporters through an interpreter. "Until my very last landing from the horizontal bar, I didn't know if I would win. I knew I had a big chance before the routine and when I took just the one step at the end I knew there was enough gap between first and second so I knew I had won.

"Fortunately I got a gold medal in the team event at the Athens Olympics but not an individual one, so my target at Melbourne was gold and I am very happy about that."