LONDON (AFP) - Australia's Prashanth Sellathurai believed he achieved the impossible by claiming bronze in the men's individual pommel horse at the World Gymnastic Championships.
The 23-year-old from Sydney was the only member of Australia's five-strong men's team to reach a final in the tournament being held at London's O2 Arena.
He qualified in fifth place but was not holding out much hope of a medal, with such a strong field against him.
He nevertheless produced a stylish performance to take third place with a score of 15.400 points, 0.800 less than the gold-medal winner from China, Zhang Hongtao. Related article: Chinese dominate gymnastics
It added to the silver Sellathurai claimed on the same apparatus at the 2006 world championships and he was delighted with how he performed in the circumstances.
"I thought after qualification that it was going to be impossible to get on the podium," he said.
"It was very close but I did. My flop was pretty tilted, but luckily I managed to save it. I think the routine I did a few years ago was a little bit neater, but this one was okay."
Zhang wowed the crowd with his display and pushed Hungary's Krisztian Berki into second place.
The modest Sellathurai admitted there was no stopping the Chinese star.
"He deserved to win the world title," he added.
"He is just a lot neater than me. Even if I had done a perfect routine today, I wouldn't have been able to beat him. It wouldn't have made a difference.
"I'm happy to say he is that much better."
Sellathurai is back on the podium three years after his exploits at the worlds in Aarhus, but he appreciates the roll China are on at the moment in international gymnastics.
The host nation at last year's Olympic Games picked up medal after medal in Beijing, and their three golds and one silver here on Saturday suggests their dominance is set to continue for a few more years.
Sellathurai does not believe he can personally do too much more to stem a tide that is currently being led by Zhang.
"I've tried to make my routine more difficult but it ended up getting a bit messy and I was scoring lower," he said. "So we'll have to see what I can do."
Sellathurai's medal prospects improved after seeing Great Britain's Louis Smith fluff his lines in front of his home crowd.
Smith, the Olympic bronze medalist, came off the horse at the start of his routine and finished eighth.
Sellathurai had sympathy for the home favourite, adding: "It's a shame about Louis.
"It would have been great for him to nail his routine in front of his home crowd. It means a lot to him but these things happen."
