China wins World Games women's trampoline gymnastics synchronized gold

CHENGDU, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The trampoline gymnastics competitions at the 2025 World Games concluded Sunday night at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium, with China claiming gold in the women's synchronized event.

Hu Yicheng and Zhang Xinxin delivered an almost flawless routine in the final, earning 51.340 points to secure the title. Japan and Canada settled for silver and bronze, respectively.

In the afternoon semifinal, Britain - featuring 2024 Olympic champion Bryony Page and Isabelle Songhurst - was edged out by Japan and missed a place on the podium.

Reflecting on the semifinal, Zhang admitted, "I was quite sleepy then and didn't perform very well. It wasn't until the final that I really 'woke up'."

"We've been exhausted from high-intensity training, but our efforts paid off," said Hu, who is set to compete in the World Championships after a short break.

The 2024 Olympian Hu is known for her steadiness, while Zhang brings energy and cheer. "I can be a bit fussy during performances. To improve our synchronization, Hu has tried her best to coordinate with me," Zhang said with a big smile.

Earlier in the men's group acrobatic gymnastics, China's Zhang Minghe, Ma Xuefeng, Shi Junjie and the delegation flagbearer Shi Jingwei, who had topped both the dynamic and balance exercises in qualification, saw their podium hopes dashed by a costly error. Israel finished first, followed by Ukraine and Britain.

After the event, star athlete Zhang Minghe broke down in tears as teammate Shi tried to comfort him.

"We made an error because of the pressure - we were all too desperate for the gold," Shi said, adding, "The World Games is a fantastic stage to introduce acrobatic gymnastics to more people, and we hope it can enter the Olympic program one day." ■