China Ends U.S. Run to Win World Team Title

China won the women’s team title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam on Wednesday, scoring 165.764 to finish 0.233 ahead of the United States and end an American run of seven straight world team titles that began in 2011. Japan took bronze with 164.063. It is China’s first world team title since 2006 and its first global team title since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. All three medal teams also earned places at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The final turned on beam. The U.S. led after vault, where Skye Blakely scored 14.300, and stretched the lead on bars, where Blakely added 14.400 and Claire Pease 14.366. The Americans went to the third rotation 1.967 ahead. China then scored 43.366 on beam. Zhang Qingying posted 15.066, the best beam mark of the final, and Ke Qinqin added 14.400. The U.S. managed 39.199 on the event. Dulcy Caylor fell on her double pike dismount and scored 12.333, and Blakely, who had 14.166 on beam in qualifying, finished at 13.266. With one rotation left, China led by 2.200.