CHINA'S Yang Wei lost his grip on the high bar, landed with a thud on the mat and rolled completely off, his coach scampering wildly toward him to make sure he wasn't hurt.

What a way to sew up another world championship.

China's best gymnast was so good yesterday in Stuttgart, Germany, that not even a ghastly mistake to close the meet could derail his road to becoming only the second male gymnast to win back-to-back world titles.

Yang scored 93.675 points to beat Fabian Hambuechen, who is quickly becoming Germany's next megastar, by 1.475 points.

Hisashi Mizutori of Japan was the surprise bronze medalist and Jonathan Horton of the United States finished fourth, only .2 points away from a medal.

The women's all-around was scheduled for late yesterday, with Americans Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson among the favorites.

Yang, meanwhile, adds this to the team gold he won a day earlier in China's blowout win over Japan. And to the three he won last year, adding parallel bars to his all-around and team wins in China's romp through worlds in Denmark.

About the only thing missing from Yang's resume - and it's a big piece - is an Olympic championship. With this win, Yang will clearly be the favorite next August at home in Beijing.

Yang earned his latest victory by building more than a 3.5-point lead after five events with lots of high jumps, straight lines, great body position and no significant errors.

It made his fall off the high bar all the more stunning - the ugliest spill of the day that came while he was trying to complete a one-handed spin. He rolled all the way off the mat and to the edge of the podium, his coach rushing to his side to make sure he was OK. The fans, knowing their German countryman Hambuechen was in second, started buzzing, knowing that suddenly the impossible might be possible.

But it would have taken two, maybe three falls for Yang to give away such a big lead and that didn't happen. After his successful dismount, he thrust both fists in the air. A few minutes later, the score went on the board and he gave a big sigh of relief - not usually the way this dominant Chinese team celebrates its victories.