"Gymnastics-China leave rivals in their wake" - http://au.sports.yahoo.com/061014/3/xhxh.html " AARHUS, Denmark, Oct 14 (Reuters) - China paved the way for an Asian sweep of the men's medals at the gymnastics world championships when they dominated qualifying with 370.450 points on Saturday. Eager to prove a point before hosting the Olympics in less than two years' time in Beijing, China edged favourites and 2004 Athens Games team champions Japan by 2.700 points." China = 370.450 Japan = 367.75 Russia = 365.400 Romania in 4th [quote]Olympic horizontal bar champion Igor Cassina highlighted the dangers of the new scoring system when he suffered a spectacular spill from the apparatus as he tried to showcase an ambitious routine. In the all-round standings, defending champion Hiroyuki Tomita of Japan survived an ungraceful landing on his bottom from the vault to lead with 93.525 points as Asian gymnasts occupied the top five spots. "I care more about my performance than the score so falling on the vault was disappointing," Tomita told reporters. "I'm not thinking about the all-round final as our main priority is the team title and I want to make sure I get the vault right. I cannot afford to make another mistake like today." With only two top qualifiers from each nation allowed to go through to the all-round final, China's Feng Jing will be excluded from taking part despite finishing fourth on Saturday. He will have to make do with being a member of the Chinese cheering squad on Thursday when compatriots Yang Wei and Chen Yibing chase gold in the all-round. After years of frustration, Yang once again showed the form that carried China to the team gold at the 2000 Sydney Games and 2003 world championships. He was the only man to break the 16-point barrier three times on the opening day of the championships. A steady performance on the parallel bars was awarded with 16.100, followed by 16.375 on the rings and even the normally reserved Yang punched the air in delight when he nailed his vault to draw 16.550 from the judges. Japan may have harboured hopes of snatching the lead in the final rotation when Yang and Xiao Qin both came to grief on the horizontal bar but the depth in talent in the Chinese squad allowed them to remain on top. "We did well and we can do even better," Chinese coach Bai Yuanshao warned. [/quote] South Korea and USA mens teams out! [quote]South Korea had been expected to be one of the medal contenders but numerous botched routines left them out of the running in ninth place with 358.475. With only the top eight teams qualifying for Tuesday's team final, Korea and the United States will be two high-profile absentees. The Americans, silver medallists in Greece, finished 10th.[/quote] The new scoring system at play for first time in international meet. [quote]Korea's Yang Tae-young became the first gymnast to break the 16-point barrier under the new accumulative points scoring system making its debut at a major global competition. However, his joy at setting the benchmark with a flowing routine on the parallel bars was short-lived as his team's performances started to go awry. Kim Dae-eun, all-round silver medallist in Athens, lost his grip from the horizontal bar while team mate Kim Ji-hoon fell flat on his face as he failed to complete one of his daring release and catch moves. Yang Tae-young, who was controversially denied the all-round gold in Athens because of a judging error, was the early pacesetter among the individual qualifiers before he too lost his way and finished 15th. The Korean landed on his head following a tumble sequence on the floor and interrupted his pommel horse routine when he lost his rhythm while rotating over the apparatus. Italian Cassina struck gold on horizontal bar two years ago in Athens but hopes of a repeat performance in Aarhus evaporated just seconds into his routine as he failed to grasp the bar while attempting a daring movement he had invented. The crowd gasped as Cassina fell flat on his back and lay still for several seconds. He was eventually helped back on his feet by two stunned Italian officials and completed his display to earn 13.500. "I've bruised a rib but there is no long-term fears with it," Cassina told reporters as he held an ice pack to his chest. "The code is difficult, so we are taking more risks to get more points...(but) today it cost me dear." [/quote]

Wow, USA out! Guess they really do need Paul and Morgan Hamm...They are still waiting to see if Sasha Artmev and Guillermo Alvarez will qualify for the 24-man all around. There's an article in sports illustrated on the US men's qualifying competition: "U.S. struggling at gymnastics worlds" - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/more/10/14/gymnastics.worlds.ap/index.html?section=si_latest Team coordinator Ron Brant on the Hamm twins: [quote]The Hamms are both enrolled at Ohio State, weighing their options. They'll probably decide something this winter. It's hard to think their phone won't be ringing soon. "They have to do what they want to do," Brant said. "It's great for us if they come back, but we're looking at it like we've just got to get ready. We've got a lot of young, promising guys. We're just not that seasoned of competitors."[/quote]

More on China: "Falls fail to halt China's charge China's star Yang Wei had a mixed day in the men's qualifying China overcame a dramatic fall by their star Yang Wei to take an early lead in the men's qualifying at the World Gymnastics Championships in Denmark. " - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/gymnastics/6052100.stm Yang Wei and Xiao Qin both fell from the high bar. There have been lots of falls on the events, as they are trying to get higher and higher scores and trying harder and harder skills -- or tricks. Italy also didn't qualify and Olympic high bar champion Igor Cassina also fell from the high bar - he got a bruised chest and had to withdraw halfway through his next event on the pommel horse. China did a good comeback from the 2004 Olympics: [quote]China, who only finished fifth at the last Olympics in Athens, are keen to make a big impact ahead of the Beijing Games in 2008. "We did well," said Chinese coach Bai Yuanshao. "We've got some young people competing for the first time and we can do better." [/quote]

More info at: "China takes early lead at world gymnastics championships" - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/15/apworld/20061015084220&sec=apworld China: "We feel very good,'' Bai said. "It's nice to be in first at this point in the competition.'' So the standings are: 1) China 2) Japan - "Japan coach Koji Gushiken gave his team a grade of about 60 out of 100. 'It was about what I expected, but we need to get better,'' Gushiken said." 3) Russia 4) Romania 5) Canada 6) Switzerland - said to have no mistakes - "'It's never happened. We had a perfect night. In 50 years, it's never happened,' said jubilant coach Kiraly Sander, who came from Hungary to help revamp the program." The final four of nine subdivisions are tomorrow Sunday - Germany and Ukraine among other teams competing to make it thru qualifying rounds by being in the top 8. USA: Since USA got 10th, they don't make it. "'They dealt with some pressures they've never had before,'' Brant said. "It's where it's not just you out there, it's your country.'" Italy: The Italian Cassina on his bar routine and fall said: "It was just very, very difficult.'' Italy got 12 place. Russia: Russia's Alexei Bondarenko wasn't there tho he was on the initial roster. Sergei Khorokhordin and Maxim Deviatovski had strong p-bar routines. They should call it something like tricks instead of routines now esp. with the new code of points...there's nothing routine about these events, right??!!

Here are the scores after the 5th subdivision: Scores: FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB Individual: 1 TOMITA Hiroyuki 93.525 Q JPN 795 15.400 15.375 15.975 15.150 16.000 15.625 2 YANG Wei 92.600 Q CHN 615 13.950 15.400 16.375 16.550 16.100 14.225 3 CHEN Yibing 92.475 Q CHN 610 15.025 14.925 16.525 16.375 15.075 14.550 4 FENG Jing 91.725 CHN 612 14.900 15.500 15.100 15.850 15.525 14.850 5 NAKASE Takuya 90.825 Q JPN 793 15.175 14.375 15.700 15.025 15.350 15.200 6 POTRA Dan Nicolae 90.725 Q ROM 934 14.875 15.125 15.375 15.600 15.100 14.650 7 KHOROKHORDIN Sergei 90.250 Q RUS 953 14.950 14.700 14.900 15.650 15.450 14.600 8 WONG Adam 90.125 Q CAN 596 15.225 14.575 14.850 15.700 15.100 14.675 9 KOCZI Flavius 89.950 Q ROM 932 15.400 15.700 13.600 15.900 14.825 14.525 10 DEVIATOVSKI Maxim 89.950 Q RUS 951 13.850 14.225 15.125 16.200 15.500 15.050 11 MIZUTORI Hisashi 89.825 JPN 791 13.275 14.675 15.125 15.725 15.675 15.350 12 JEFFERIS Joshua 89.675 Q AUS 520 14.975 14.125 15.025 15.550 15.250 14.750 13 RYAZANOV Yury 89.650 RUS 955 14.875 14.000 15.150 15.775 14.950 14.900 14 GAFUIK Nathan 89.600 Q CAN 590 15.100 14.575 14.000 16.000 14.925 15.000 15 YANG Tae-Young 89.575 Q KOR 815 14.475 13.750 15.200 15.500 16.125 14.525 16 KARBANENKO Dimitri 89.475 Q FRA 703 15.250 14.550 14.375 16.025 14.225 15.050 17 CAPELLI Claudio 89.000 Q SUI 971 15.300 14.550 13.875 16.000 14.875 14.400 18 SELARIU Dorin Razvan 88.825 ROM 935 14.950 14.800 14.675 15.275 14.925 14.200 19 SAVITSKI Dimitri 88.800 Q BLR 564 14.875 14.350 14.125 15.750 15.025 14.675 20 ALVAREZ Guillermo 88.650 Q USA 832 15.100 14.075 14.525 15.775 14.625 14.550 21 KIM Dae Eun 88.625 Q KOR 810 14.450 14.375 15.300 15.375 15.675 13.450 22 ARTEMEV Alexander 88.625 Q USA 833 14.525 15.450 14.450 15.550 14.975 13.675 23 SCHWEIZER Andreas 88.475 Q SUI 976 14.600 14.025 15.175 15.550 14.700 14.425 24 POPESCU Ilie Daniel 88.325 ROM 933 14.750 14.575 14.650 16.375 14.850 13.125 25 GOFMAN Pavel 88.175 Q ISR 772 14.250 14.350 15.000 15.200 14.650 14.725 26 MORANDI Matteo 88.125 Q ITA 784 14.050 14.150 15.900 15.375 14.475 14.175 27 VAHAGN Stepanyan 87.575 Q ARM 511 14.375 14.500 15.200 15.200 14.775 13.525 28 KIM Soo Myun 87.475 KOR 813 14.700 14.625 13.475 15.575 14.725 14.375 29 OTTAVI Paolo 87.425 Q ITA 785 14.750 13.800 14.875 15.175 14.525 14.300 30 KIM Seung Il 87.200 KOR 812 14.475 13.525 13.825 15.225 14.700 15.450 31 OFFORD Samuel 87.050 Q AUS 522 14.125 13.700 14.975 15.275 14.425 14.550 32 GIRALDO Jorge Hugo 87.000 R COL 621 14.525 13.025 14.475 15.250 15.275 14.450 33 ZONDERLAND Epke 86.875 R NED 875 13.775 13.975 14.575 15.775 15.100 13.675 34 HUANG Yi-Hsueh 86.825 R TPE 985 14.300 14.250 14.150 16.525 14.125 13.475 35 BREWER Ross 86.775 R GBR 711 13.925 14.300 14.400 14.950 14.825 14.375 36 COX Adam 86.750 GBR 712 14.500 14.450 13.550 15.650 14.175 14.425 37 SHATILOV Alexander 86.650 ISR 773 15.650 13.950 13.575 15.575 14.025 13.875 38 VALEYEV Ildar 86.100 KAZ 804 14.225 12.950 14.750 15.350 14.675 14.150 39 LAWRENCE Danny 85.825 GBR 715 13.525 14.025 14.400 15.550 14.000 14.325 40 CORRAL Daniel 85.425 MEX 861 14.675 14.300 13.850 15.500 14.625 12.475 41 WIGNANITZ Rapha

Here's an article on Italy's Cassina fall from the high bar: "Olympic champ Cassina bruises rib Fall from horizontal bar causes injury, Italian pulls out of Worlds" - http://wcsn.com/article/news.jsp?ymd=20061014&content_id=8674&vkey=gymnastics_news&id=34012&dpre= [quote] AARHUS, Denmark - Olympic champion Igor Cassina highlighted the dangers of the new gymnastics scoring system on Saturday when he suffered a spectacular spill from the high bar during men's qualifying at the world championships. The Italian, who struck gold on the apparatus two years ago in Athens, said gymnasts were being forced to take risks under the new system. ... However, a bruised and battered Cassina said the new format had forced top gymnasts to push the boundaries in the sport even further. "The code is difficult, so we are taking more risks to get more points," said the Italian, who badly bruised a rib after failing to execute a daring release and catch movement he had invented. MORE TURNS "I had included one more jump and three more turns into my routine since Athens. "My trick on the bar is very, very difficult and just being a little out of position today cost me dear." The crowd were hushed into silence as Cassina lay still for several seconds, staring at the ceiling, before two stunned Italian officials ran to his side. After being helped back to his feet, Cassina managed to complete his routine but the damage had already been done. Former Olympic champion Nellie Kim, who is now president of the International Gymnastics Federation's (FIG) women's technical committee, was involved in revamping the Code of Points (CoP) and told Reuters before the championships that the new scoring system would not make the sport more dangerous. "I think we will slow down development of new skills, extra difficulties etcetera," she said. "Gymnasts will become more careful as the deductions will be much more strict. If they are smart, they will learn that they would be better off to perform a more normal skill but to do it perfectly." On Saturday, Cassina proved that a balance had yet to be found.[/quote] This is kind of like when they put on the new open-ended scoring system in ice skating - there was a lot of discussion about how it puts more pressure and stress on the athlete's body.

The USA and SK out.! The us was slightly expected; I think, w/out the hamms.

Updated scores, after 9 subdivisions, men's qualifiers http://www.fig-gymnastics.com/LOB/media/MEDIA13753.pdf "Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Aarhus 2006 Event Review - Men's qualification day 2 MEN'S QUALIFICATIONS - DAY 2 PART 2 Aarhus FIG Office, Sunday October 15, 2006: Subdivision 8: RSA, GER, PUR, BRA, SWE

"Gymnastics-FIG admits Chinese judging error" - http://au.sports.yahoo.com/061017/3/xn37.html [quote] "The score was changed because a mistake was made by the judges. A team's score on an apparatus is determined by adding the four highest individual scores," officials said in a statement. "In the case of China, the judges erroneously added the scores of the first, the second, the third and the fifth best gymnast. "It is this mistake that has been rectified so the Chinese score on floor now stands at 60.925. The total score for the Chinese team is now 372.250."[/quote] Team standings are the same tho, for qualifiers.