The 23-year-old scored a total of 90.630 points to finish ahead of compatriot Cheng Ran and Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev, who registered 89.631 and 89.230 respectively.

The top 24 gymnasts will advance to the final, with a maximum of two per country.

Hosts China also head the standings in the team competition, scoring a total of 362.698 to begin the defence of their world title in formidable fashion.

Lin Chaopan, Liu Rongbing, Liu Yang, You Hao and Zhang Chenglong, along with Deng and Cheng, make up the Chinese outfit.

Great Britain, whose side comprises of Frank Baines, Daniel Keatings, Daniel Purvis, Kristian Thomas, Courtney Tulloch, Max Whitlock and Nile Wilson, occupy second place with 357.193.

Brazil, whose team consists of Junior Barretto, Caio Campos Souza, Bitencou De Souza, Diego Hypolito, Nabarrete Zanetti, Arthur Oyakawa Mariano and Sergio Sasaki Junior, are in third on 348.100.

The top eight teams will advance to the final.

Cheng Ran is currently in second place in the individual all-around standings
©Getty Images



In the individual apparatus events, Hypolito, Croatia's Saso Bertoncelj and Liu Yang top the rankings in the floor exercise, pommel horse and rings respectively.

Verniaiev is in front in the parallel bars, South Korea's Yang Hak Seon is the frontrunner in the vault and The Netherlands' Epke Zonderland set the pace in the horizontal bar.

The top eight gymnasts on each apparatus will advance to the respective finals, with a maximum of two per country.

The men's qualifications is due to continue tomorrow.

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