Great Britain claimed gymnastics gold with a stunning performance in the men’s team final at the European Championships in Munich.
European all-around champion Joe Fraser, James Hall, Jake Jarman, Courtney Tulloch and Giarnni Regini-Moran dominated to finish more than six marks clear of silver medallists Italy.
They are the first British team to win the European title since 2012.
Britain won with a score of 254.295, as Turkey earned bronze behind Italy.
The team maintained the consistent form that had seen them top qualification on Thursday, nearly three points ahead of Turkey, as they secured a commanding victory at Olympiahalle.
Jarman, 20, led with a score of 14.500 as Britain made an encouraging start to their competition on the floor – the highest score in that section of the final – before Fraser displayed his pommel class with a 14.433.
Britain were on course for gold at the halfway mark after Tulloch (14.633), Fraser (14.100) and Hall (13.433) executed solid routines on the rings – but led Germany by little over one mark.
Jarman, who became the most successful English male gymnast at a single Games with his four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, helped extend the advantage as he led the team with a superb 15.200 on vault.
Joined by Regini-Moran (14.900) and Tulloch (14.600), it ensured Britain stood five marks clear of second-placed Italy after four of six rotations.
Having become the first British man to win the European all-around title two days earlier, the 23-year-old Fraser reinforced his credentials on the parallel bars before Sunday’s individual final with a 15.166 – though Turkey’s Ferhat Arican posted 15.200 in response.
There was to be no let-up from the British team on the final rotation, as Hall (14.066), Fraser (13.900) and, finally, Jarman (12.966) secured the title on the horizontal bar, allowing the celebrations to begin.
Britain won silver in the women’s team event last week.
There will be further opportunity for Britain’s male gymnasts to claim medals in Sunday’s individual apparatus finals.
Fraser will go for further golds in the pommel horse and parallel bars finals, while Regini-Moran has qualified for the floor, vault and parallel bars finals.
Tulloch will compete on the rings and in the vault, Jarman on the floor, and Hall will contest the high bar final.
More to follow.
