ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — China's women put in a strong performance Saturday in the opening day of the World Championships.
The Chinese women went first in the team session with four members of the gold medal-winning team from the Beijing Olympics . They finished with 233.778 points, easily the best of the morning sessions.
Despite two spills on the beam, Romania was in second place with 228.495, well ahead of Italy at 219.179.
He Kexin of China was outstanding on the uneven bars, and is a favorite to take gold on the apparatus to add to her Olympic and 2009 world title.
The U.S. qualifying session is Sunday, with the team final on Wednesday.
Not everything went smoothly for China. On the floor, Huang Qiushuang stepped out of bounds early and looked uncertain. On the beam, Sui Lu had to grab the beam briefly to regain her composure.
"It is fine for the first outing. It is very hard," considering the early start, China coach Lu Shan Zhen said through a translator.
Lu specifically lauded He for her sterling uneven bars routine.
Lu said he expected the Americans to excel on the floor, the Romanians to dominate the beam and Russians the vault.
"The level of the teams is just about the same," Lu said of the four nations.
China won at gold at the 2008 Beijing Games, ahead of the United States and Romania. The team event was not held at the London world championships last year.
The beam didn't look like Romania's strong suit when two gymnasts fell off. That will have little impact because the eight teams in the final will start from scratch and all points from qualifying are scrapped.
Romania coach Octavian Bellu, the successful coach who returned to the women's team this summer, said the aim is to get key experience before the 2012 London Olympics.
With its strong showing in the individual all-around over the past few years, the U.S. team will certainly be considered a strong challenger. However, defending all-around champion Bridget Sloan will be limited to the uneven bars and floor only because she has struggled with ankle and shoulder injuries.
Despite a shin inflammation, last year's runner-up Rebecca Bross will compete in all four disciplines.
Chelsea Davis of the U.S. dislocated her left kneecap Friday after an awkward landing on a tumbling pass and will not compete.
