China's Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui beat Jan-Ove Waldner and Jorgen Persson of Sweden to add the world men's doubles title to their Olympic gold yesterday.
Liu and Kong won 19-21, 21-15, 18-21, 21-13, 21-17 to keep the title in China after wins by Wang Tao and the now retired Liu Wei in both 1993 and 1995.
It was China's fifth gold medal following victories in the mixed doubles by Liu Guoliang and Wu Na , by Deng Yaping in the women's singles, plus victories in the men's and women's team events.
A forehand smash by Olympic singles champion Liu on the final point earned the gold medal.
Earlier, rumours that China would 'allow' Hong Kong's Chai Po-wa and China's Qiao Yunping to win the women's doubles title as a 'gift' to the territory in advance of the handover were proved wrong.
Chai and Qiao, who were playing as a team for the second time in a major tournament, lost in the semi-finals to China's top seeded pairing of Deng Yaping and Yang Ying , who won 21-8, 21-7, 21-12.
China had three pairs in the semi-finals of the women's doubles and rumours were rife the China-Hong Kong combination would automatically take the title as a gesture of goodwill from China.