GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) β China’s bid to make a run at the powerful U.S. women’s gymnastics team got off to a slow start during qualifying of the 2015 world gymnastics championships.
The Chinese ended their four rotations with a score of 225.127 early Saturday, behind the scores put up by Russia and Britain during qualifying on Friday. China struggled on bars, typically one of its strongest events. Three athletes fell, though China assured itself of a spot in the eight-team final on Tuesday with solid if unspectacular sets on vault and floor exercise.
China’s finish bumped Romania down to ninth, meaning one of the sport’s original superpowers will miss a team final at a major international meet for the first time in more than 40 years. Romania must qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics by competing in a test event in Rio next spring.
