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China Edges U.S. by 0.233 Points to End American Women’s 15-Year Reign at Gymnastics Worlds

China scored 165.764 to the United States' 165.531 in the women's team final in Rotterdam on Wednesday, ending a run of seven straight world titles and taking the country's first team gold since 2006.

By admin Oct. 21, 2026 · 6:46 PM ET 2 min read

Wide view of a gymnastics championship arena with spectators and apparatus on the competition floor.

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — China won the women’s team final at the gymnastics world championships on Wednesday, scoring 165.764 to edge the United States by 0.233 points and end an American reign that stretched back to 2010.

The Americans, who had won the previous seven world team titles, finished second at 165.531. Japan took bronze at 164.063, the country’s first women’s team medal since 1966. The title came down to the last routine, with China needing better than 12.600 from Qiu Qiyuan on floor exercise. She scored 12.833, according to USA Today.

A gymnast seen from behind mid-leap on the floor exercise in a dark arena.

Beam decided the final

The United States led by nearly two points after the first two rotations, but China moved ahead in the third. Zhang Qingying scored 15.066 on balance beam, the highest mark of the meet by any gymnast on any apparatus, while 18-year-old Dulcy Caylor fell on her beam dismount for a 12.333. China’s three beam routines totaled 43.366, more than four points better than the Americans’ 39.199, according to the final results.

A gymnast's silhouette holding a pose on a balance beam under arena spotlights.

Caylor was competing in place of Hezly Rivera, the reigning U.S. all-around champion, who withdrew over the weekend with an ankle injury, according to Pollar. The U.S. also competed without Simone Biles, who has not competed since the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to SuperSport. Skye Blakely was the only American on the five-woman team who had competed in a previous world team final.

“We had some ups and downs, some uncontrollable things happened, but we never gave up the fight,” Blakely said, according to NBC Sports.

What the podium means for 2028

The top three teams earned automatic qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Japan also won the men’s team title on Tuesday. The men’s all-around final follows Thursday, the women’s all-around runs Friday and the apparatus finals close the meet over the weekend, according to The Sports Examiner.

A gold medal resting on sparkling blue leotard fabric.

Reporting based on coverage by USA Today, NBC Sports, SuperSport and Pollar.

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