Russia's long climb back to the top in men's Olympic gymnastics is over.

The team representing the Russian Olympic Committee rode remarkable performances by Artur Dalaloyan and Nikita Nagornyy to edge Japan and China in the men's team final on Monday. The victory marked the first Olympic title for the Russians since 1996 in Atlanta.

Russia's total of 262.500 was just good enough to hold off the sport's other two superpowers. Japan used a brilliant high bar routine in the final rotation to surge past China for second with a score of 262.397.

The Chinese were forced to play catch-up all evening. Down by more than 3.3 points halfway through, they managed to pull within fractions of the Russians before a couple of form breaks on high bar in the final rotation cost them a shot at the top of the podium.

The three teams have spent the past five years in a tug-of-war at the top of the sport. The Japanese won gold at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. The Chinese edged Russia at the 2018 world championships, with the Russians returning the favour in 2019.

It didn't come easy, however. Leading by about six-tenths of a point going into the final rotation, Denis Abliazin nearly gave it away when he stepped out of bounds with both feet on floor. Dalaloyan followed suit during his routine.

The missteps gave Japan an opening, and 19-year-old Daiki Hashimoto - Japan's heir apparent to two-time Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura - delivered a spectacular high bar set. He roared after drilling his dismount, the sound of his Japanese teammates celebrating echoing through mostly empty Ariake Gymnastics Centre.

Nagornyy, with the rest of the arena watching, saluted the judges needing 14.564 to deliver gold. The reigning world champion came through, exhaling following his dismount before waving his hands to the small crowd.

The Russians gathered around him awaiting the score, and when the 14.600 flashed they joined a raucous celebration with tears in their eyes.

The US appeared poised to come in fourth before a messy floor exercise in the final rotation, the only real mistake in an otherwise solid meet for the Americans, let Great Britain sneak past them.