China secure Paris Olympic spot in women’s team Artistic Gymnastics

China reached the women’s team final in Belgium’s Antwerp on Monday at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, thereby securing a team spot for the Paris Olympics.

Competing in the last subdivision of the qualification on Monday night, China’s women’s team earned 165.663 points to rank third and qualify for the final, boasting the highest team scores on uneven bars (43.533) and balance beam (42.666). The total score was just about half a point behind second-placed Britain.

Ou Yushan and Qiu Qiyuan advanced to the women’s all-around final, in eighth and ninth places respectively. Qiu and Huang Zhuofan will compete in the uneven bars final, having finished first and fourth in the qualifying round.

Zhou Yaqin (2nd) and Zhang Qingying (3rd) will challenge American gymnastic star Simone Biles (1st) in the balance beam final. Zhou also secured a position in the floor exercise final.

Arriving in Antwerp with other young teammates, 19-year-old Ou was the only member of China’s women’s team with World Championships experience.

“Our team has done a fantastic job, literally super good. We have been supporting each other all along. We all had our own difficulties to face but we all got through it. All I want to say is, we really did a good job,” said Ou.

“I cried happy tears. I was just so excited about our performance. From the Tokyo Olympics to now, this is the first time our team has reached the top 3,” said Ou, “I will definitely lead my great teammates to go as far as we can.”