Champions All, Rings
 The Frenchman Joseph Martinez, who was best in the wake of the World Championships in 1903, is considered to be the first World Champion. In 1905 and 1907, it could not be decide whether the rings should be swinging or not – therefore the rings were simply left out. Frenchmen, Czechs and Italians led for a long time, until the small Slovene Leon Stukelj came up and became Olympic Champion and World Champion twice. In Berlin, at the age of 38, he even achieved the Silver medal, behind the Czech Hudec, who achieved the Golden one. The “power master” of the 1950ies was the man with the little beard:
Albert Asarjan, who started the longstanding Soviet and Japanese dominance at the rings in 1954 and 1958. 


German

Titow, Woronin Nakayama, Andrianow, Ditjatin and Gushiken are the names of the most remarkable giants. The 1990ies will always be remembered due to the fivefold World Champion and “Lord of the rings” Juri Chechi. In his footsteps the Hungarian Szilvester Csollany was following, being the favourite for Ghen, but was beten there by Jovchev. The successful revenge came 2002 at his Hungarian home...
   World Champions all, Rings (1903 ....)
Year -German finalists
2003
Anaheim
2002
Debrecen		 S.Csollany (HUN) J.Jowtschew(BUL) M.Morandi (ITA) -
2001
Gent		 J. Jovtchev (BUL) S.Csollany (HUN) A.Coppolino (ITA) -
1999 Dong, Zhen (CHN) S.Csollany (HUN) D.Tambakos (GRE) -
1997 J.Chechi (ITA) S.Csollany (HUN) I.Ivankov (BLR) -
1996 J.Chechi (ITA) J.Jovtchev (BUL) S.Csollany (HUN) -
1995 J.Chechi (ITA) D.Burinca (ROM) J.Jovtchev (BUL) 4.Marius Toba (GER)
5.Andreas WEcker (GER)
1994 J.Chechi (ITA) P.O'Neill (USA) 3.V.Belenki (GER) 5.Andreas Wecker (GER)
1993 J.Chechi (ITA) A.Wecker (GER) I.Ivankov (BLR) -
1992 V.Scherbo S.Csollany (HUN) G.Misiutin (EUN) (HF/9.) J.Milbradt (GER)
(HF/13.) M.Belle (GER)
1991 G.Misiutin URS) A.Wecker (GER) J.Chechi (ITA) -

..after the political changes at the beginning of the nineties:

Year  -German Finalists
1989 A.Aguilar (FRG) A.Wecker (GDR) J.Chechi (ITA)
V.Marinich (URS)		 5.Sven Tippelt (GDR)
1987 J.Koroliov  D.Bilosertchev (URS)
Li, Ning (CHN)-		 - 4. Sven Tippelt (GDR)
5.Andreas Aguilar (FRG)
1985 Li Ning (CHN)
J.Koroliov (URS)		 - k.Yamawaki (JPN)
J.Balabanov (URS)		 5.Andreas Aguilar (FRG)
6.Sven Tippelt (GDR)
8.Sylvio Kroll (GDR)
1983 D.Bilosertchev (URS)
K.Gushiken (JPN)		 - Li, Ning (CHN)           4. Jens Fischer (GDR)
1981 A.Ditiatin (URS) Huang Yubin (CHN) B.Makuz (URS) 6.Roland Brückner (GDR)
1979 A.Ditiatin (URS) D.Grecu (ROM) A.Tkatchev (URS) 7.Lutz Mack (GDR)
1978 N.Andrianov (URS) A.Ditiatin (URS) D.Grecu (ROM) 5.Lutz Mack (GDR)
1974 D.Grecu (ROM)
N.Andrianov (URS)		 - A.Szajna (POL) 6.Wolfgang Thüne (GDR)
1970 A.Nakayama (JPN) M.Tsukahara (JPN) M.Voronin (URS) -
1966 M.Voronin (URS) A.Nakayama (JPN) F.Menichelli (ITA) -
1962 J.Titov (URS) Yukio Endo (JPN)
B.Shachlin (URS)		 -
1958 A.Asarjan (URS) N.Aihara (JPN) J.Titov (URS) -
1954 A.Asarjan (URS) J.Korolkov (URS)  W.Muratov (URS)
1950 W.Lehmann (SUI) O.Rove (FIN) H.Eugster (SUI)  -
1938 A.Hudec (CSR) M.Reusch (SUI) V.Petracek (CSR) -
1934 A.Hudec (CSR)  E.Mack (SUI) J.Kollinger (CSR)
M.Logelin (LUX)		  - 
1930  E.Löffler (CSR)  B.Supcik (CSR) J.Gaidos (CSR) -
1926 L.Stukelj (YUG) L.Vachà (CSR) B.Supcik (CSR)  -
1922 L.Stukelj (YUG)
P.Sumi (YUG)
J.Maly (CSR)
M.Karasek (CSR)		 - -
1913 G.Boni (ITA)
L.Grech (FRA)
M.Torrès (FRA)
G.Zampori (ITA)		 - -  -
1911 F.Steiner (CSR) D. Follaci (ITA)
P.Bianchi (ITA)
A.Costa (FRA)		 - -
1909 G.Romano (ITA)
Marcos Tórres (FRA)		 - F.Erben (CSR)
A.Mazzonchini (ITA)
G.Zampori ITA)		 -
1907 - - -  -
1905 - - - -
1903 Martinez (FRA) J. Lux (FRA)
F.Walravens (BEL)		 - -
.

Source: "Das Turnjahrhundert..." Götze/Herholz)  

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