PUTIAN (CHN), FIG Office, March 31, 2016:

The winds of change are blowing through the world of Acrobatic Gymnastics: Russia’s

Marina Chernova is the only reigning queen who can defend her title at this week’s World Championships in Putian, China, where six titles are up for grabs.

Putian welcomes 152 athletes from 21 countries — including first-time competitor Iran – as gymnasts get set to compete for World glory. While Chernova, who competes in Mixed Pairs, is the only 2014 World gold medallist going for a repeat, competition on the Acro scene is ripe with new faces hungry for glory at the world level in the different categories: 

Women’s Pair, Men’s Pair, Mixed Pair, Women’s and Men’s Groups. A team title will also be awarded.

Acrobatic Gymnastics has a long and successful history in China. The country’s celebrated Men’s Group has won the past two World titles with gasp-worthy, gravity defying Acrobatics, and this year a the new four-man Group of Zheng Li, Luoming Rui, Zhang Teng and Zhou Jiahuai, aims to continue the tradition.

“We are delighted to be in China, to be able to promote this sport here in such a large Asian country,” said FIG Vice President Slava Corn at a delegation meeting Wednesday. “I am convinced that with this help, Acrobatic Gymnastics will continue to develop in China.” 

The best in Putian will also qualify their countries a place to compete at The World Games next year in Wroclaw, Poland. Apart from the World Championships, The World Games, an Olympic Games-style event for non-Olympic disciplines, is considered the premiere event for Acrobatic gymnasts.

At the end of the qualification round, the top five countries in each category will have earned places to compete in Wroclaw, with a maximum of one place per country. An additional berth in each discipline may be attributed by the FIG Executive Committee following the competition to assure host country participation or continental representation.

Follow all the action from the 2016 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships on the FIG microsite at http://goo.gl/DT7lwS 

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About the FIG: The International Gymnastics Federation is the governing body for gymnastics worldwide. It is the oldest established international sports federation and has participated in the Olympic Games since their revival in 1896. The FIG governs seven disciplines: Gymnastics for All, Men’s Artistic, Women’s Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline, Aerobic and Acrobatic. It counts 142 national member federations and boasts a 28-person staff at its international seat in Lausanne (SUI), host city of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).