TOKYO (REUTERS, AFP) - China's Guan Chenchen won the balance beam gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday (Aug 3), while Simone Biles of the United States returned to action to claim bronze.

Tang Xijing took silver with 14.233 points, 0.4 behind her compatriot, on the final day of competition at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.

Not seen in competition since last Tuesday when she abruptly dropped out of the team event after one vault, citing mental health issues, Biles made a fearless return to win bronze and even more respect.

Biles said: "I was proud of myself just to go out there after what I've been through.

"This one is definitely sweeter. I'll treasure this one a lot more after everything I have been through."

The US gymnastics superstar walked into the arena to a loud cheer and, going third of the eight finalists, put in a solid routine ending with a double backward somersault and double pike onto the mat.

Having looked pensive beforehand, she wore a broad smile after her 90 seconds on the 10cm beam, with the judges awarding her 14 points.

The bronze matched the one she won on the apparatus at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was her second of the Tokyo Games to go along with a silver in the team event.

Biles now has seven Olympic medals from two Games - four golds, a silver and two bronzes.

In the men's parallel bars, it was China's Zou Jingyuan who won the gold medal, adding to his two world titles on the apparatus.

The 23-year-old earned a soaring 16.233 points to finish ahead of Germany's Lukas Dauser (15.7) and Turkey's Ferhat Arican (15.633).

Japan's Daiki Hashimoto clinched the gold medal in the horizontal bar with 15.066 points.

Tin Srbic of Croatia took silver with 14.9 points and the bronze went to the Russian Olympic Committee's Nikita Nagornyy (14.533).