Zhang Jin Tops All Around at Second Round of Chinese Olympic Trials

In the ongoing process of selecting the athletes who will represent China at the Tokyo Olympic Games, news came out of Shanghai that Zhang Jin, Tang Xijing, and Lu Yufei finished top three in the all around respectively.

Zhang Jin finished in the top spot with a 56.399, Tang Xijing second with a 56.365, and Lu Yufei in third with a 56.332. Liu Tingting, Ou Yushan, and Guan Chenchen didn’t compete all around.

In order to get as close to simulating the Olympic venue as possible, Senoh equipment (the equipment brand that will be used at the Tokyo Games) was brought in to mimic the conditions of the Olympic venue.

Following the competition, head coach Qiao Liang emphasized the team’s attention to overall consistency. The confident and clean beam routines shown at the camp was a clear improvement compared to last months national championships.

“This is our second step in selecting the Olympic team, the overall consistency and hit-rate has improved. This competition opportunity will be of great significance to the kids and be a lot of help. Because of the pandemic not everyone had the opportunity to compete.” Qiao said. 

All around leader Zhang Jin expressed she wasn’t thinking too much about the results. She just wanted to maintain her current form, train hard everyday, and not have any regrets. 

Lu Yufei expressed the difficulty she faced in changing to a new environment that was more similar to the Olympic venue. During the competition, she noted her bars were a little nervy and slightly chaotic, but found it to be a valuable experience in the lead up towards the Games. 

As Fan Yilin has already secured an individual spot for the Olympic Games, this will be her second Olympic appearance. She mentioned one of the most valuable things she has learned was to treat each competition the same, no matter how big. 

The men will host their second round of trials in Shanghai on June 24.  

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