China claims acrobatics gymnastics women's group gold at World Games

CHENGDU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China captured the women's group title in acrobatic gymnastics at The World Games 2025 on Saturday night at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium.

Performing to a dynamic arrangement of "Jasmine Flower" variations, China's trio of Gu Jiaquan, Ma Yixing and Ding Wenyan delivered a display of synchronized precision in acro, pyramid, toss and tumbling elements.

Just prior to their performance, the U.S. team set a high bar with a stellar routine, earning 28.670 points.

Unfazed by the challenge, the Chinese trio took to the floor. Following a flawless execution of compulsory elements, they showcased progressively complex skills, drawing enthusiastic applause from the home crowd.

China's score of 29.230 secured the gold medal, and the trio embraced emotionally, draped in the national flag. Israel earned the bronze with 28.480, and Germany narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth.

During the afternoon qualifiers, China topped the balance exercise and placed third in the jazz-styled dynamic exercise, advancing to the final with a session-leading score of 57.290.

This victory follows their gold at the 2024 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in Portugal, marking China's return to world title prominence since 2016 and their first team all-around crown in a quarter-century.

Hailing from Jiangsu Province, the cultural birthplace of "Jasmine Flower", the trio has trained together for six years.

"Jasmine symbolizes how Chinese women embody both grace and strength," said Ma. "Every drop of sweat has finally paid off."

For 16-year-old Gu, juggling training with high school studies, the gold holds special meaning. Despite suffering ankle injuries during months of grueling sessions, mornings in class and afternoons in the gym, she pushed through the pain by mentally blocking it out.

As the top tier, Gu stood on the hands of the other two of the team and performed flexible backflips to shock the audience. "I was not afraid at all since the two elder sisters always protect me," she said.

Achieving her second world-level title, Ding, 22, deemed this gold the more significant one. "Competing on home soil in Chengdu made this unforgettable," she said.

As the base, Ding overcame chronic shoulder injuries through persistent rehabilitation. "The 'Jasmine Flower' is an old song, but we rearranged it and used it to show the positiveness, boldness and passion of our new generations," she said, adding that they planned to visit the giant pandas and the Sanxingdui excavation site and take a bite of the local spicy food as a reward to themselves. ■