The 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship’s very first day was an extremely warm welcome for the gymnasts. With extraordinary events came stupendous performances, and the enthusiasts couldn’t hold their excitement. Be it the Pommel Horse, the parallel bars, or the high bars, every event on day 1 of Men’s qualifying served a great surge of adrenaline rush to its spectators.

However, Team USA’s toughest rivals in the gymnastic realm, Team China faced a little rough patch today as gymnastics prodigy Shi Cong had rather bumpy start. With an already ongoing disadvantage, another mishap was added for China today on the 30th of September 2023. The spectators were glued to their screens with the curiousness of what was coming next for the team.

Disadvantage faced by Team China at the Gymnastics 2023 Championships

The gymnastics’ biggest household names have made their way to Antwerp, Belgium, and have given terrific performances for securing their way to the Olympics. However, already qualified for the Olympics 2024 Team China faced a rough time at the Pommel Horse event.

Already carrying a disadvantage of the absence of their star Zhang Boheng, another mishap with Shi Cong created another difficulty for the team. While performing at the Pommel Horse event, Shi Cong faced an unfortunate incident in his right ankle. The Gymnastics Now shared a post regarding the same stating, “Shi Long hits his horse set with one noticeable form break.”?

Although his start was beautiful, he was seen limping and his right ankle looked injured. While limping through the mixed zone, his ankle was heavily wrapped with ice. The absence of Boheng was already very noticeable, and now with this injury in Cong’s leg, it can be a little difficult for Team China.

Team China’s disadvantage even before entering the Artistic championship

The absence of last year’s all-around runner-up of China was one of the biggest disadvantages the team was facing even before the event started. Zhang Boheng is a Chinese artistic gymnast who competed at the 2021 Chinese Artistic Gymnastics Championships and won the all-around at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship. He was also considered an Elite Athlete of National Class by the General Administration of Sport of China in 2015.

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The absence of such an elite gymnast would definitely be a step backward for the team. He is not available for the 2023 World Artistic Championship as he is away competing at the Asian Games. As of now, the Chinese team is being led by Liu, and after another added disadvantage due to Cong’s injury, the gymnastics enthusiasts are on their toes to see what is next for America’s toughest rival.

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